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What is the legal age to drink alcohol in the Netherlands?
Giving minors alcohol – It’s an offense for adults to give minors alcohol in publicly accessible places, like bars, restaurants and festivals. For the rest, rules remain as they were:
The legal age requirement to buy alcohol in the Netherlands is 18. Being visibly (and disruptively) drunk in public is considered an offense (more below). Mildly alcoholic beverages like beer, wine and low alcohol content spirits can be sold in supermarkets and licensed liquor stores. Petrol stations are not allowed to sell alcoholic drinks. The sale of stronger drinks (spirits with an alcohol content higher than 15%) is restricted to licensed liquor stores.
What is the drinking age in Belgium?
Purchase –
In 21 Member States ( Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom ), children cannot purchase alcohol. Belgium, Denmark and Germany set 16 years as the minimum age for purchasing beverages containing less than 1.2 % of distilled alcohol and 18 years for buying spirits (more than 1.2 % of distilled alcohol). Sweden set the minimum age for purchasing beverages with more than 3.5 % of alcohol at 20 years. The minimum age to purchase alcohol in Cyprus and Malta is 17 years; in Luxemburg, it is 16 years. In Austria, purchasing alcohol is regulated at the regional level. There are two different age requirements – either 16 or 18 years – depending on the region and the percentage of alcohol involved.
What age can you drink in Europe?
Introduction – The minimum legal drinking age varies significantly around the world. The majority of countries set the legal drinking age at 18 years old. However, there are notable variations in different regions. In Europe, for instance, there is a tendency to set the legal drinking age at either 16 years old, as seen in countries such as Austria, Belgium, Denmark, and Luxembourg, or 18 years old, in countries like France, Spain, and Italy for example.
- On the other hand, the legal drinking age in North America, including Canada and the United States, is set higher, at 19 and 21 years old, respectively.
- In Africa, the legal drinking age is generally set at 18 years old, as seen in countries like Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, and Zimbabwe.
- Similarly, in Latin America, 18 years old is the prevailing legal drinking age in countries such as Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay.
In contrast, the legal drinking age tends to be higher in the Middle East, with countries like Bahrain and Egypt setting it at 21 years old. These regional patterns can be influenced by various factors, including cultural norms, historical practices, government policies, and societal attitudes towards alcohol consumption.
Can a 14 year old work in a pub UK?
Can someone under the age of 18 work in a bar? A person under the age of 18 can work in a bar, as long as they are supervised continually by a responsible person, such as the licence holder or bar manager. They cannot sell alcohol unless every sale is authorised by an adult. Normal employment law applies to children working, see question in related information for further details.
Protecting children from harm is one of the primary objectives in licensing law and local authorities can impose additional conditions to premises banning children altogether, if it is considered necessary. Answers in this FAQ section are provided by the ‘Ask the Police’ website. Produced by the Police National Legal Database (PNLD) team, ‘Ask the Police’ is an official police site approved by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC).
All FAQ answers are © PNLD. : Can someone under the age of 18 work in a bar?
Can 16 year olds drink in Italy?
In Italy, minors (anyone under the age of 18) are not able to legally purchase or consume alcohol in bars, restaurants or even outdoors (although it is very unlikely for a restaurateur or server to ‘card’ someone who appears to be younger than that when they are drinking with their parents).
Can a 16 year old drink in Greece?
What’s The Legal Drinking Age In Greece For Tourists In 2023? What’s the legal drinking age in Greece for tourists? Do you need to show ID? What’s the legal limit for drinking and driving in Greece? Don’t worry – we’ve got the answers to these questions and to the other ones you have about ID checks, clubbing age, and what to drink in Greece.
- So read on because we’ve got all of the frequently asked questions about the drinking age in Greece in 2023 covered !
- This article may contain compensated links. Please read the for more info
- Social drinking is the norm in and drinking alcohol, including strong liquor, is part of traditional Greek life.
Even Socrates liked a tipple
- If you, like, you’ll see wine storage containers (urns and amphorae) from 3,500 years ago.
- By the, a part of Greek identity that they believed distinguished themselves from other less ‘civilized peoples’, was their consumption of wine.
- Even young children may be given very watered-down wine to drink at family gatherings and alcohol is generally consumed by adults at all meals (not so much breakfast anymore!)
- Despite the fact that they seemingly put away alcohol nonstop, in Greece social drinking is all about being able to demonstrate that you can drink responsibly, which is to say, to drink moderately.
Local men traditionally having a chat and social drinking at an outdoor cafe, Aghios Nikolaos (Crete, Greece)
- Public displays of drunkenness in Greece, as in many other European countries (Continental Europe), is rare and it is not considered appropriate to be obviously very inebriated.
- There are always areas of big cities and some beach resorts where you can find exceptions (especially among tourists).
- Related:
- The smell and taste of anise will always evoke the magical after you’ve been introduced to the Greek’s favorite spirit, Ouzo.
- It’s hard to imagine that the monks of Mount Athos in the 14th century could have foreseen just how popular their new strong liquor would be.
Duty Free shop selling Ouzo at Athens International Eleftherios Venizelos Airport, Greece
- Traditionally Ouzo is served chilled, with water and ice, in a small glass, and while eating mezze.
- And while it may seem like Greeks consume incredible amounts of the stuff every day, for people who don’t drink spirits every day, you can find yourself becoming legally drunk very quickly!
- And the point about Greeks drinking in moderation is really important – they’re not trying to drink half a bottle as quickly as possible.
In fact, a WHO study has found that Greeks drink on average quite a bit less than other Europeans. They are also drinking less Ouzo, and more wine and beer. Beer is a safer alcohol to stick to, especially if you are trying to stay under the legal driving limit by drinking moderately over a long evening. Liquor store in Laganas village, Zakynthos, Greece Under Greek law, you can purchase alcohol at 18 but the reality is that you’ll be sold alcohol of just about any type in a supermarket without being asked for ID. Yes and No. No in Athens. In, there is an ‘open container ordinance’ so you can’t even stand a meter or two away from a bar with alcohol in your hand.
- In Athens, the Greek police do enforce the law of no alcohol consumption in public spaces.
- Otherwise, you can walk around with alcohol in your hand, but you can’t walk around drunk! But again, the chances of this law being enforced is low.
- Like many European countries, a blood alcohol content of 0.05 percent is the maximum allowable to drive in Greece.
This is lower than,, and the U.S. where it is 0.08 percent. If you are a novice driver, that drops to 0.02 percent. Police white pickup Nissan Navara parked on Mithos beach promenade, Crete, Greece In other words, you can have two standard drinks and drive if you have a regular license, and no alcohol if you don’t yet have your full license. If you live in the U.S.
And the U.K., you might be more used to the limit of three standard drinks or 0.08 percent, so you need to take care with Greece’s lower limit, even if you believe you can drive perfectly well on at 0.05 blood alcohol content. It’s also the case that in many parts of Greece, you’ll find yourself driving at night on dirt and winding roads, often without street lighting, and the police do enforce drink driving laws.
The fine for being caught over the limit is €1,200 and, depending on the severity of the charge, a prison term can be involved. It’s mad to be drunk driving in Greece, most especially if you’ve, ATVs (Quad bikes) are less stable than cars because of their high center of gravity.
They’re also harder to see at night, and so you have more chance of being hit by an equally drunk guy in another car! There are so many pubs and clubs and Greece – choose one you can walk to, get an Uber, or stay at an! Young people in Greece begin to filter into late-night bars and clubs around midnight.
The bars close in the early morning hours but in party areas, the clubs stay open until about 7 am. Legally you can be denied entry if your ID was checked and you were under 18 years of age. In practice, this doesn’t happen. There’s no maximum drinking age limit in Greece, but there is a minimum age.
You cannot be served alcohol in Greece if you are under 18 years of age. Legally no, however, the chances of anyone ever checking your ID – well- it would be a very rare occasion, especially on party islands like Zakynthos and Mykonos. The legal age to go into clubs that sell alcohol (and that would be all of them!) is 18.
It is not legal to drink or consume alcohol in Greece in public at 16 years of age but the is no legal minimum age for drinking alcohol in private. The legal drinking age in Greece is 18 for drinking in public and for purchasing alcohol. According to the, 2023, there is no minimum age to legally drink alcohol in 111 countries.
Can you drink at 14 in Italy?
What’s The Drinking Age in Italy? – legal_drinking_age_italy The alcohol age limit in Italy is 18 years old. That means, it is illegal to sell alcohol to minors in either shops, restaurants or bars, That’s a little bit more generous than the legal age limit in the USA. In general, ID should be requested in any establishment selling alcohol if there is any doubt over your age.
Is it legal to drink at 16 in Germany?
Are children and adolescents allowed to smoke? No. Children and teens are not to smoke or be able to buy tobacco products (cigarettes, shisha/ hookah, cigars, chewing tobacco, e-cigarettes, etc.). Not even for/on behalf of adults. Furthermore, minors must not be allowed in so-called “smoking bars” (bars inside which people can freely smoke).
Children under the age of 14 are not allowed to buy or drink alcohol. Teens who are 14 or 15 are allowed to drink beer, wine or sparkling wine only in the presence and with the permission of their parents or another person in a custodial role. Other heavy alcoholic drinks are not allowed. Adolescents aged 16 and over are allowed to buy and drink beer, wine or sparkling wine also in absence of their parents, but other -heavy- alcoholic drinks are not allowed for them either. From the 18th birthday, a person is considered an adult in Germany. Therefore, they can purchase and consume any alcoholic beverages freely.
Are children and teens allowed in bars and clubs? Whether minors can enter clubs or bars depends on age. Youth Protection Act principally differentiates between children (up to 14 years) and teens (14-18 years)- who are considered minors- and adults (18 years and over):
Children under the age of 14 are allowed in bars with an adult. If children under the age of 14 want to go to a club, their parents or another adult in a custodial role must be present. Teens aged 16 and over can also go to bars and clubs without an adult companion- but must leave by midnight (at the latest). Only adults, i.e. people who are 18 or older, can visit casinos, nightclubs and other “places with undesirable impact on minors”.
In larger cities, there are often so-called Children Discos or Teen Discos, i.e. special clubs for children and teens, where they can dance and have fun with other kids in their age. Schools sometimes also offer such events. In such spaces, there are always adults present to supervise children- and no alcohol is served.
Children under 14 can go to the cinema, but cannot remain there after 8 p.m. Teens aged 14 and over are allowed to go to the cinema and stay until 10 p.m. 16-year-olds and older teens can stay in theatres until midnight.
Moreover, children and adolescents are only allowed to watch movies approved for their age range. Look below in the section” Is there a rating regarding movies and video games suitable for minors?” to learn more about content rating and age-restriction in Germany.
Is there a rating regarding movies and video games suitable for minors? Films and video games have a content rating: Children and teens are only allowed to consume movies and video games approved for their age group. Often on the product packaging and in the film ads in cinemas or magazines, one can find the age ranges for which the content is (not) suitable.
The Voluntary Self-Control of the Film Industry (“Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirtschaft” or FSK) is the authority responsible for evaluating cultural product and proposing its age rating. They review the content and specific scenes of a film or video game, and then decides for which age ranges the film or video game is suitable.
There are 5 ratings: “FSK ab 0”, “FSK ab 6”, “FSK ab 12”, “FSK ab 16” and “FSK ab 18”. The number shows the minimum age for which the film or video game is suitable. For example, “FSK 12+” means that children under the age of 12 should not watch the film or video game. “FSK 18+” means that the film is only suitable for adults.
Are children and adolescents allowed to work? Children often like to do small jobs here and there, because they can earn some extra money. However, in Germany there are laws which regulate how much a child can work according to their age. The laws in question are “Verordnung über den Kinderarbeitsschutz” (Regulation about Protection Against Child Labour”) and the “Jugendarbeitsschutzgesetz” (“Law for the Protection of Young Workers”).
Children under 13 are not allowed to work. Small and irregular help in family businesses or for neighbours are an exception. Children between 13 and 15 are allowed to do “light” work for up to 2 hours a day. However, only if their parents agree and this does not have a negative impact on school performance or their health. Exception: In agriculture, children between 13 and 15 are allowed to work for up to 3 hours a day. Children subject to mandatory schooling who are over 16 are allowed to work up to four weeks a year, if their parents agree. They can work several weeks in a row during the summer holiday or on a regular basis for a few hours, for example, delivering newspapers. Adolescents over 16 who are no longer subject to mandatory schooling, may work up to 5 days a week for 8 hours a day.
Employers who do not adhere to these rules are subject to punishment.
Can you drink at 16 in France?
Alcohol – The legal drinking age in France is 18 years for ALL ALCOHOL INCLUDING WINE AND BEER. Before 2009, it was legal for 16-18 year olds to drink “fermented” beverages such as cider, wine and beer, but the laws have changed, and now it’s 18 for all alcoholic beverages.
“Article 93 of Act No.2009-87 of 21 July 2009 on hospital reform and on patients, health and territories confirms the prohibition of the sale of alcoholic beverages to all minors (and no longer only to minors under 16 years of age) and adds that the offer of such beverages free of charge to minors is also prohibited in drinking places and all shops or public places.” – translated from the French Ministry of Health article here,
You can buy alcohol in any supermarket, convenience store or wine boutique (but only until 10pm; 8pm in places where consumption is forbidden after 4pm). Some restaurants only have a license to serve alcohol with food. In the 1990s (when I was a student), the French, even university age students, didn’t engage in the excessive drinking habits of their Anglophone counterparts.
- That’s why so many student bars in Paris are English, Australian, or American! But that has all changed in recent years and the laws are catching up.
- There aren’t generalized “open container” laws, but there are certain areas that restrict public alcohol consumption on the street after 4pm: Champs-Elysées (8the), all around the Eiffel Tower and Champ de Mars (7th) all around Notre-Dame (4th); “sensitive” districts like Stalingrad (19th), Saint-Blaise (20th) and around Gare de Lyon (12th); festive night life districts like the Latin Quartier (5th/6th), Oberkampf (11the), le Marais (4th) and even after 9pm along the Canal Saint-Martin (10th) and after midnight along both banks of the Seine from Pont Bir-Hakeim to Pont de Tolbiac on the Right Bank and from Pont Mirabeau to Pont d’Iéna, as well as Pont Royal to Pont de Tolbiac on the Left Bank.
Of course you’ll see a LOT of people breaking the rules along the Seine, but if your group is rowdy and has an open container, consider yourselves targets for the police. Alcoholic beverages are not allowed in any Paris parks (as clearly mentioned in this article on the City Hall’s website), except in cafés that serve it within the parks.