Private imports of medicinal products
The restrictions on private imports of medicinal products are provided for under the Government Decree on the imports of medicinal products to Finland for private use (1088/2002).
The basic rule permits travellers to bring their personal medication. The restrictions to the amounts permitted depend on whether the product is classified in Finland as self-medication, prescription, narcotic or veterinarian drug.
The Schengen area
Bringing narcotic drugs from a Schengen country (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary and Malta) requires a certificate permitting the import of the product in accordance with the Schengen Agreement. The amount of narcotic drugs may not exceed the equivalent of 30 days' use.
From outside the Schengen area, travellers can import narcotic drugs an amount equivalent to 14 days’ use.
The European Economic Area
Travellers can bring into Finland self-medication products, prescription drugs, narcotic drugs, herbal medicinal products, registered homeopathic or anthroposophic products, and non-registered homeopathic or anthroposophic products with a marketing authorisation from EEA countries in an amount equivalent to 12 months’ use.
The EEA countries include Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. For bringing in prescription drugs, travellers must be able to produce a prescription from a doctor.
Outside the European Economic Area
Travellers can import amounts of self-medication products, prescription drugs, narcotic drugs, herbal medicinal products, and non-registered homeopathic or anthroposophic products with a marketing authorisation from outside the scope of EEA equivalent to 3 months’ use. They are not allowed to bring non-registered homeopathic or anthroposophic products from outside the EEA countries with them to Finland. The products have to be purchased from a legal source.
By post/mail
The European Economic Area
Amounts of prescription drugs, self-medication products, narcotic drugs, herbal medicinal products, registered and non-registered homeopathic or anthroposophic products (with a marketing authorisation) equivalent to three month’s use can be ordered by post from a legal dispensary such as a pharmacy. To obtain customs clearance for a prescription drug in Finland, the recipient must be able to produce a prescription from a doctor.
Other countries
Ordering and receiving medicinal products by mail / courier outside the European Economic Area is prohibited.