Unlike the UK, Australia or New Zealand, the European Union does not have a single, harmonised rule for importing prescription medicine for personal use. This is the most common point of confusion, so it is worth being clear.
There is no single EU-wide rule
Personal importation of medicines is decided at member-state level. Each country’s national medicines agency and customs authority set their own rules and enforce them in their own way, so what is routine in one member state may be restricted in another.
The common principles
Despite the variation, most member states apply similar principles: the medicine should be for genuine personal use, in a modest personal quantity (often around a few months’ supply), and supported by a valid prescription for prescription-only medicines. Controlled substances are treated far more strictly everywhere.
How to check your own country
Before ordering, check two sources for your specific member state: your national medicines agency (each country has its own, such as Germany’s BfArM or France’s ANSM) and your national customs authority. Because the rules and enforcement differ, this is the only reliable way to know your position.
Customs & what to expect
National customs authorities can inspect, hold or return medicine shipments. Keeping a copy of your prescription with the order, and ordering only a personal supply, reduces the chance of a hold.
How OnlineMeds handles orders to the EU
However you order, our process is the same: a valid prescription is required and is reviewed by a licensed pharmacist before dispatch, we may ask for basic identity/address documentation, and we follow the local guidelines of your destination before any medicine is sent. Orders ship in discreet, tracked packaging. Full details are on our shipping & delivery page, and there is more general guidance in our guide to prescription regulations for global orders.
Because your national customs authority can inspect or hold shipments, keeping a copy of your prescription with the order and staying within personal-supply limits makes clearance smoother. Used as prescribed by a licensed medical professional.
Frequently asked questions
Is there one EU-wide rule for importing prescription medicine?
No. There is no single EU-wide personal-import allowance. Each member state sets and enforces its own rules through its national medicines agency and customs authority, so the position differs from country to country.
What do the rules usually have in common?
Most member states expect the medicine to be for genuine personal use, in a modest personal quantity (often around a few months' supply), supported by a valid prescription — with stricter rules for controlled substances.
How do I check my country's rules?
Check your national medicines agency (for example, your country's equivalent of the MHRA or BfArM) and your national customs authority before ordering, as both the rules and enforcement vary.
Do I need a prescription?
For prescription-only medicines, yes — keep a copy of your prescription with the order. It helps customs confirm the shipment is a genuine personal import.
This article is general information, not legal or medical advice. Personal-import rules and customs enforcement change and are applied case by case — always confirm the current rules with your national medicines regulator and customs authority before ordering, and use any medicine only as prescribed by a licensed medical professional.