WHO Regional Office for Europe has prepared a publication reviewing the legal and regulatory framework for community pharmacies in the WHO European Region (2019).

This report provides an overview of the main possible components and provisions of the legal and regulatory framework for community pharmacies and their activities in Europe. It analyses the diverse approaches to community pharmacy licences and to establishment of new pharmacies and their ownership, as well as possible limitations in terms of horizontal and vertical integration. It also details the framework for community pharmacy operating requirements (including opening hours, workforce, premises and equipment, services provided and identification of a community pharmacy) and the types of activity undertaken. Provisions associated with possible alternative forms of dispensing medicines (over-the-counter medicines, prescription-only medicines, dispensing by medical doctors and online medicine sales) are also described. The report concludes with the possible key players involved in the legal and regulatory framework and outlines their missions and functions.

The publication is available under the following link: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/326394/9789289054249-eng.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y&ua=1