{"attribution":{"source":"legal.exploreworldai.com","canonical":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/judgment-text?id=eu:c-604-24","cite_as":"NovaCopilot, legal.exploreworldai.com (https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/judgment-text?id=eu:c-604-24)","license":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/revision","version":"legal-2026-10-25","fingerprint":"ewai:eu:c82ec6","proof":"sha256:d6ea4f3743a21461a2708b50d4af39905319b17e7b10c55bfbb03aaf69a5db06","jurisdiction":"eu","lang":"en","publisher":"NovaCopilot by ExploreWorld Legal","terms":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/om"},"brand_source":"Source: NovaCopilot","item":{"schema_version":"1.0.0","id":"eu:c-604-24","jurisdiction":"eu","lang":"en","brand_source":"Source: NovaCopilot","brand":{"product":"NovaCopilot","platform":"ExploreWorldAI","infrastructure":"ExploreWorld Legal","infrastructure_url":"legal.exploreworldai.com","legal_entity":"Valkiv Ventures AB","permanent_url":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/novacopilot","source":"Source: NovaCopilot","powered_by":"Powered by NovaCopilot","license":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/licensvillkor"},"sections":[{"title":"62024CJ0604","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"JUDGMENT OF THE COURT (Fifth Chamber)","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"21 May 2026 (\n *1\n )","paragraphs":["para_4","para_5","para_6"]},{"title":"Farmakeio YZ & Sia OE","paragraphs":["para_8","para_9","para_10","para_11","para_12","para_13","para_14","para_15","para_16","para_17","para_18","para_19","para_20","para_21","para_22","para_23","para_24","para_25","para_26","para_27","para_28","para_29","para_30"]},{"title":"Judgment","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"1","paragraphs":["para_33"]},{"title":"2","paragraphs":["para_35"]},{"title":"Legal context","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"European Union law","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"Directive 2011/62","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"3","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"Recitals 21 to 24 of Directive 2011/62 state:","paragraphs":["para_41","para_42"]},{"title":"(22)","paragraphs":["para_44"]},{"title":"(23)","paragraphs":["para_46"]},{"title":"(24)","paragraphs":["para_48"]},{"title":"Directive 2001/83","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"4","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"According to recitals 2 to 5 of Directive 2001/83:","paragraphs":["para_52","para_53"]},{"title":"(3)","paragraphs":["para_55"]},{"title":"(4)","paragraphs":["para_57"]},{"title":"(5)","paragraphs":["para_59"]},{"title":"5","paragraphs":["para_61","para_62"]},{"title":"(a)","paragraphs":["para_64"]},{"title":"(b)","paragraphs":["para_66","para_67"]},{"title":"(c)","paragraphs":["para_69"]},{"title":"(d)","paragraphs":["para_71","para_72","para_73","para_74"]},{"title":"Greek law","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"6","paragraphs":["para_77","para_78","para_79"]},{"title":"Those penalties shall be imposed together with any other penalty provided for.’","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"The dispute in the main proceedings and the questions referred for a preliminary ruling","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"7","paragraphs":["para_83"]},{"title":"8","paragraphs":["para_85"]},{"title":"9","paragraphs":["para_87"]},{"title":"10","paragraphs":["para_89"]},{"title":"11","paragraphs":["para_91"]},{"title":"12","paragraphs":["para_93"]},{"title":"13","paragraphs":["para_95","para_96","para_97"]},{"title":"(2)","paragraphs":["para_99"]},{"title":"(3)","paragraphs":["para_101"]},{"title":"(4)","paragraphs":["para_103"]},{"title":"Consideration of the questions referred","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"The first and second questions","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"14","paragraphs":["para_107"]},{"title":"15","paragraphs":["para_109"]},{"title":"16","paragraphs":["para_111"]},{"title":"17","paragraphs":["para_113"]},{"title":"18","paragraphs":["para_115"]},{"title":"19","paragraphs":["para_117"]},{"title":"20","paragraphs":["para_119"]},{"title":"21","paragraphs":["para_121"]},{"title":"22","paragraphs":["para_123"]},{"title":"23","paragraphs":["para_125"]},{"title":"24","paragraphs":["para_127"]},{"title":"25","paragraphs":["para_129"]},{"title":"26","paragraphs":["para_131"]},{"title":"27","paragraphs":["para_133"]},{"title":"28","paragraphs":["para_135"]},{"title":"29","paragraphs":["para_137"]},{"title":"30","paragraphs":["para_139"]},{"title":"31","paragraphs":["para_141"]},{"title":"32","paragraphs":["para_143"]},{"title":"33","paragraphs":["para_145"]},{"title":"34","paragraphs":["para_147"]},{"title":"35","paragraphs":["para_149"]},{"title":"36","paragraphs":["para_151"]},{"title":"The third and fourth questions","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"37","paragraphs":["para_154"]},{"title":"Costs","paragraphs":[]},{"title":"38","paragraphs":["para_157"]},{"title":"On those grounds, the Court (Fifth Chamber) hereby rules:","paragraphs":["para_159","para_160","para_161","para_162"]}],"paragraphs":[{"text":"62024CJ0604","paragraph_id":"para_1"},{"text":"JUDGMENT OF THE COURT (Fifth Chamber)","paragraph_id":"para_2"},{"text":"21 May 2026 (\n *1\n )","paragraph_id":"para_3"},{"text":"(Reference for a preliminary ruling – Medicinal products for human use – Directive 2001/83/EC – Article 85c(1) and (2) – Non-prescription medicinal products – Prohibition of the sale at a distance to the public, by means of information society services, of a category of non-prescription medicinal products – Protection of public health)","paragraph_id":"para_4"},{"text":"In Case C‑604/24,","paragraph_id":"para_5"},{"text":"REQUEST for a preliminary ruling under Article 267 TFEU from the Symvoulio tis Epikrateias (Council of State, Greece), made by decision of 16 July 2024, received at the Court on 16 September 2024, in the proceedings","paragraph_id":"para_6"},{"text":"Farmakeio YZ & Sia OE","paragraph_id":"para_7"},{"text":"v","paragraph_id":"para_8"},{"text":"Ypourgos Anaptyxis kai Ependyseon,","paragraph_id":"para_9"},{"text":"Ypourgos Ygeias,","paragraph_id":"para_10"},{"text":"intervening parties:","paragraph_id":"para_11"},{"text":"Panellinios Farmakeftikos Syllogos,","paragraph_id":"para_12"},{"text":"THE COURT (Fifth Chamber),","paragraph_id":"para_13"},{"text":"composed of M.L. Arastey Sahún, President of the Chamber, J. Passer, E. Regan, D. Gratsias and B. Smulders (Rapporteur), Judges,","paragraph_id":"para_14"},{"text":"Advocate General: M. Szpunar,","paragraph_id":"para_15"},{"text":"Registrar: A. Calot Escobar,","paragraph_id":"para_16"},{"text":"having regard to the written procedure,","paragraph_id":"para_17"},{"text":"after considering the observations submitted on behalf of:","paragraph_id":"para_18"},{"text":"–","paragraph_id":"para_19"},{"text":"Farmakeio YZ & Sia OE, by K. Chrysogonos, dikigoros,","paragraph_id":"para_20"},{"text":"–","paragraph_id":"para_21"},{"text":"Panellinios Farmakeftikos Syllogos, by I. Dimitrellos, dikigoros,","paragraph_id":"para_22"},{"text":"–","paragraph_id":"para_23"},{"text":"the Greek Government, by K. Georgiadis, V. Karra and K. Konsta, acting as Agents,","paragraph_id":"para_24"},{"text":"–","paragraph_id":"para_25"},{"text":"the Italian Government, by S. Fiorentino, acting as Agent, and by E. Cicatelli, procuratore dello Stato, and M. Russo, avvocato dello Stato,","paragraph_id":"para_26"},{"text":"–","paragraph_id":"para_27"},{"text":"the European Commission, by M. Konstantinidis, E. Mathieu, A. Spina and J. Szczodrowski, acting as Agents,","paragraph_id":"para_28"},{"text":"after hearing the Opinion of the Advocate General at the sitting on 18 December 2025,","paragraph_id":"para_29"},{"text":"gives the following","paragraph_id":"para_30"},{"text":"Judgment","paragraph_id":"para_31"},{"text":"1","paragraph_id":"para_32"},{"text":"This request for a preliminary ruling concerns the interpretation of Article 85c(1) and (2) of Directive 2001/83/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 November 2001 on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human use ( OJ 2001 L 311, p. 67 ), as amended by Directive 2011/62/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2011 ( OJ 2011 L 174, p. 74 ) (‘Directive 2001/83’).","paragraph_id":"para_33"},{"text":"2","paragraph_id":"para_34"},{"text":"The request has been made in proceedings between Farmakeio YZ & Sia OE, a company established in Greece, on the one hand, and the Ypourgos Anaptyxis kai Ependyseon (Minister for Development and Investment, Greece) and the Ypourgos Ygeias (Minister for Health, Greece), on the other hand, concerning a …","paragraph_id":"para_35"},{"text":"Legal context","paragraph_id":"para_36"},{"text":"European Union law","paragraph_id":"para_37"},{"text":"Directive 2011/62","paragraph_id":"para_38"},{"text":"3","paragraph_id":"para_39"},{"text":"Recitals 21 to 24 of Directive 2011/62 state:","paragraph_id":"para_40"},{"text":"‘(21)","paragraph_id":"para_41"},{"text":"The illegal sale of medicinal products to the public via the Internet is an important threat to public health as falsified medicinal products may reach the public in this way. It is necessary to address this threat. In doing so, account should be taken of the fact that specific conditions for retail …","paragraph_id":"para_42"},{"text":"(22)","paragraph_id":"para_43"},{"text":"When examining the compatibility with [EU] law of the conditions for the retail supply of medicinal products, the Court of Justice of the European Union (“the Court of Justice”) has recognised the very particular nature of medicinal products, whose therapeutic effects distinguish them substantially …","paragraph_id":"para_44"},{"text":"(23)","paragraph_id":"para_45"},{"text":"In particular, in the light of the risks to public health and given the power accorded to Member States to determine the level of protection of public health, the case-law of the Court of Justice has recognised that Member States may, in principle, restrict the retail sale of medicinal products to pharmacists alone …","paragraph_id":"para_46"},{"text":"(24)","paragraph_id":"para_47"},{"text":"Therefore, and in the light of the case-law of the Court of Justice, Member States should be able to impose conditions justified by the protection of public health upon the retail supply of medicinal products offered for sale at a distance by means of information society services. Such conditions should not unduly restrict the functioning of the internal market.’","paragraph_id":"para_48"},{"text":"Directive 2001/83","paragraph_id":"para_49"},{"text":"4","paragraph_id":"para_50"},{"text":"According to recitals 2 to 5 of Directive 2001/83:","paragraph_id":"para_51"},{"text":"‘(2)","paragraph_id":"para_52"},{"text":"The essential aim of any rules governing the production, distribution and use of medicinal products must be to safeguard public health.","paragraph_id":"para_53"},{"text":"(3)","paragraph_id":"para_54"},{"text":"However, this objective must be attained by means which will not hinder the development of the pharmaceutical industry or trade in medicinal products within the Community.","paragraph_id":"para_55"},{"text":"(4)","paragraph_id":"para_56"},{"text":"Trade in medicinal products within the Community is hindered by disparities between certain national provisions, in particular between provisions relating to medicinal products …, and such disparities directly affect the functioning of the internal market.","paragraph_id":"para_57"},{"text":"(5)","paragraph_id":"para_58"},{"text":"Such hindrances must accordingly be removed; whereas this entails approximation of the relevant provisions.’","paragraph_id":"para_59"},{"text":"5","paragraph_id":"para_60"},{"text":"Under Title VIIA of that directive, entitled ‘Sale at a distance to the public’, Article 85c(1) and (2) thereof provides:","paragraph_id":"para_61"},{"text":"‘1.   Without prejudice to national legislation prohibiting the offer for sale at a distance of prescription medicinal products to the public by means of information society services, Member States shall ensure that medicinal products are offered for sale at a distance to the public by means of info …","paragraph_id":"para_62"},{"text":"(a)","paragraph_id":"para_63"},{"text":"the natural or legal person offering the medicinal products is authorised or entitled to supply medicinal products to the public, also at a distance, in accordance with national legislation of the Member State in which that person is established;","paragraph_id":"para_64"},{"text":"(b)","paragraph_id":"para_65"},{"text":"the person referred to in point (a) has notified the Member State in which that person is established of at least the following information:","paragraph_id":"para_66"},{"text":"…","paragraph_id":"para_67"},{"text":"(c)","paragraph_id":"para_68"},{"text":"the medicinal products comply with the national legislation of the Member State of destination in accordance with Article 6(1);","paragraph_id":"para_69"},{"text":"(d)","paragraph_id":"para_70"},{"text":"without prejudice to the information requirements set out in Directive 2000/31/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2000 on certain legal aspects of information society services, in particular electronic commerce, in the Internal Market (Directive on electronic commerce) [ OJ 2000 L 178, p. 1 ], the website offering the medicinal products contains at least:","paragraph_id":"para_71"},{"text":"…","paragraph_id":"para_72"},{"text":"2.   Member States may impose conditions, justified on grounds of public health protection, for the retail supply on their territory of medicinal products for sale at a distance to the public by means of information society services.","paragraph_id":"para_73"},{"text":"…’","paragraph_id":"para_74"},{"text":"Greek law","paragraph_id":"para_75"},{"text":"6","paragraph_id":"para_76"},{"text":"The ypourgiki apofasi G.P. oik. 22609 ‘Tropopoiisi tou arthrou 116 tis ypo stoicheia D.YG3a/G.P.32221/2013 koinis apofaseos ton Ypourgon Anaptyxis, Antagonistikotitas, Ypodomon, Metaforon kai Diktyon kai Ygeias …’ (Ministerial Decision G.P. oik. 22609, ‘Amendment of Article 116 of Joint Ministerial …","paragraph_id":"para_77"},{"text":"‘The sale at a distance to the public of medicinal products subject to medical prescription shall be prohibited. For other medicinal products, sale at a distance to the public by means of information society services is permitted, by online pharmacy establishments that have been certified in that re …","paragraph_id":"para_78"},{"text":"Those infringing those provisions shall be subject to a fine of twenty thousand euro (EUR 20000) to one hundred thousand euro (EUR 100000) and, in the event of a repeated offence, of fifty thousand euro (EUR 50000) to two hundred thousand euro (EUR 200000), by decision of the Board of Directors of the [Ethnikos Organismos Farmakon (National Organisation for Medicines)].","paragraph_id":"para_79"},{"text":"Those penalties shall be imposed together with any other penalty provided for.’","paragraph_id":"para_80"},{"text":"The dispute in the main proceedings and the questions referred for a preliminary ruling","paragraph_id":"para_81"},{"text":"7","paragraph_id":"para_82"},{"text":"The applicant in the main proceedings operates a physical pharmacy in Greece and also sells goods from the pharmacy online, as permitted by national pharmaceutical legislation.","paragraph_id":"para_83"},{"text":"8","paragraph_id":"para_84"},{"text":"On 25 May 2022, the applicant brought an action before the Symvoulio tis Epikrateias (Council of State, Greece), which is the referring court, for annulment of the ministerial decision, which amends the previous national legislation, on the ground that that decision henceforth authorises the sale at …","paragraph_id":"para_85"},{"text":"9","paragraph_id":"para_86"},{"text":"In support of its action, the applicant in the main proceedings submits that the restriction introduced by the ministerial decision as regards the previous national legislation is contrary, inter alia, to Article 85c(1) of Directive 2001/83. Furthermore, according to the applicant, such a measure ca …","paragraph_id":"para_87"},{"text":"10","paragraph_id":"para_88"},{"text":"The national authorities which adopted the ministerial decision and the Panellinios Farmakeftikos Syllogos (Pharmaceutical Association, Greece) claim, for their part, that the public interest reasons relating to public health protection required the adoption of that new national legislation, in acco …","paragraph_id":"para_89"},{"text":"11","paragraph_id":"para_90"},{"text":"The referring court considers that the question whether EU law precludes national legislation which authorises the online sale at a distance to the public of only a subcategory of non-prescription medicinal products must be assessed, inter alia, in the light of the judgments of 11 December 2003, Deu …","paragraph_id":"para_91"},{"text":"12","paragraph_id":"para_92"},{"text":"However, in the absence of unequivocal case-law from the Court in that connection and taking into account the arguments of the Pharmaceutical Association based on the relevant Cypriot and Portuguese legislation, the referring court asks whether Article 85c(2) of that directive should be interpreted …","paragraph_id":"para_93"},{"text":"13","paragraph_id":"para_94"},{"text":"In those circumstances, the Symvoulio tis Epikrateias (Council of State) decided to stay the proceedings and to refer the following questions to the Court of Justice for a preliminary ruling:","paragraph_id":"para_95"},{"text":"‘(1)","paragraph_id":"para_96"},{"text":"Must Article 85c(1) of Directive [2001/83] be interpreted as precluding a national provision which permits the sale at a distance to the public by means of information society services, by [online] pharmacy establishments, not of all non-prescription medicinal products …, but of one subcategory only thereof (in the present case, [over-the-counter] medicinal products …)?","paragraph_id":"para_97"},{"text":"(2)","paragraph_id":"para_98"},{"text":"Or, on the contrary, does Article 85c(2) of Directive [2001/83] permit the national legislature to prohibit sales at a distance to the public by means of information society services, by [online] pharmacy establishments, of certain medicinal products not subject to medical prescription, on grounds of public health protection?","paragraph_id":"para_99"},{"text":"(3)","paragraph_id":"para_100"},{"text":"If the answer to [the second question] is in the affirmative, are the grounds relied on in the present case by the Greek [Government] and the Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Association to justify the restriction in question (combating overmedication and the trafficking of counterfeit or inappropriate medicinal products, and so forth) grounds of public health protection within the meaning of Article 85c(2) of Directive [2001/83]?","paragraph_id":"para_101"},{"text":"(4)","paragraph_id":"para_102"},{"text":"If the answer to [the third question] is in the affirmative, is the national court to review the proportionality of the restrictive measure by carrying out negative screening, that is to say, is it to assess only whether the restriction appears to be manifestly inappropriate or manifestly unnecessar …","paragraph_id":"para_103"},{"text":"Consideration of the questions referred","paragraph_id":"para_104"},{"text":"The first and second questions","paragraph_id":"para_105"},{"text":"14","paragraph_id":"para_106"},{"text":"By its first and second questions, which it is appropriate to examine together, the referring court asks, in essence, whether Article 85c(1) and (2) of Directive 2001/83 must be interpreted as precluding national legislation which, on grounds of public health protection, prohibits the sale at a distance to the public, by online pharmacy establishments using information society services, of non-prescription medicinal products, with the exception of a subcategory thereof.","paragraph_id":"para_107"},{"text":"15","paragraph_id":"para_108"},{"text":"In that connection, it should be borne in mind that Article 85c(1) of Directive 2001/83 provides that ‘without prejudice to national legislation prohibiting the offer for sale at a distance of prescription medicinal products to the public by means of information society services, Member States shall …","paragraph_id":"para_109"},{"text":"16","paragraph_id":"para_110"},{"text":"It is apparent from the second part of that provision that Member States are required to ensure that ‘medicinal products’ are offered for sale at a distance to the public by means of information society services. The general nature of that wording and the use of the definite article in certain lingu …","paragraph_id":"para_111"},{"text":"17","paragraph_id":"para_112"},{"text":"However, the first part of that provision allows an exception to that obligation inasmuch as the sale at a distance to the public of prescription medicinal products may be prohibited under national legislation (see, to that effect, judgment of 27 February 2025, Apothekerkammer Nordrhein, C‑517/23 , EU:C:2025:122 , paragraph  74 ).","paragraph_id":"para_113"},{"text":"18","paragraph_id":"para_114"},{"text":"It therefore follows from the wording of Article 85c(1) of Directive 2001/83 that the obligation provided for therein relates to the offer for sale at a distance to the public, by means of information society services, of all non-prescription medicinal products (see, to that effect, judgment of 29 February 2024, Doctipharma, C‑606/21 , EU:C:2024:179 , paragraph  41 ).","paragraph_id":"para_115"},{"text":"19","paragraph_id":"para_116"},{"text":"It follows that national legislation that prohibits the sale at a distance to the public, by means of information society services, of non-prescription medicinal products, with the exception of a subcategory thereof, fails to fulfil the obligation arising from Article 85c(1) of Directive 2001/83.","paragraph_id":"para_117"},{"text":"20","paragraph_id":"para_118"},{"text":"Such national legislation cannot, moreover, be based on Article 85c(2) of that directive, under which Member States may impose conditions, justified on grounds of public health protection, for the retail supply on their territory of medicinal products for sale at a distance to the public by means of information society services.","paragraph_id":"para_119"},{"text":"21","paragraph_id":"para_120"},{"text":"While, on account of the use of the term ‘condition’ in both paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 85c of that directive, it can be considered that Member States may make the sale at a distance to the public of all non-prescription medicinal products subject to conditions additional to those expressly liste …","paragraph_id":"para_121"},{"text":"22","paragraph_id":"para_122"},{"text":"Such legislation only partially authorises the offer for sale at a distance to the public by means of information society services of non-prescription medicinal products. The conditions referred to in Article 85c(2) of Directive 2001/83 cannot have the effect of rendering meaningless the obligation …","paragraph_id":"para_123"},{"text":"23","paragraph_id":"para_124"},{"text":"That interpretation is supported both by the origin of Article 85c of Directive 2001/83 and by the objectives pursued by that directive.","paragraph_id":"para_125"},{"text":"24","paragraph_id":"para_126"},{"text":"In the first place, as regards that origin, it should be noted that Directive 2011/62 inserted, within Directive 2001/83, Title VIIA, entitled ‘Sale at a distance to the public’, which includes, inter alia, Article 85c of that directive.","paragraph_id":"para_127"},{"text":"25","paragraph_id":"para_128"},{"text":"It follows from recital 24 of Directive 2011/62, in the light of which Article 85c(1) and (2) of Directive 2001/83 must be interpreted, that, while Member States must be able to impose conditions justified on grounds of public health protection in relation to the retail supply of medicinal products …","paragraph_id":"para_129"},{"text":"26","paragraph_id":"para_130"},{"text":"In that context, it should be noted that, in paragraphs 76 and 124 of its judgment of 11 December 2003, Deutscher Apothekerverband ( C‑322/01 , EU:C:2003:664 ), the Court classified the prohibition provided for by national legislation on the sale of medicinal products by mail order, in that case via …","paragraph_id":"para_131"},{"text":"27","paragraph_id":"para_132"},{"text":"It is apparent that the EU legislature intended to take into account, when adopting Article 85c(1) of Directive 2001/83, the case-law of the Court relating to the online marketing of medicinal products. By that provision, the EU legislature further limited the discretion conferred on Member States in the area, by introducing the obligation to offer all non-prescription medicinal products for sale at a distance to the public, by means of information society services.","paragraph_id":"para_133"},{"text":"28","paragraph_id":"para_134"},{"text":"It follows that Member States cannot rely on Article 85c(2) of Directive 2001/83 in order to impose conditions justified on grounds of public health protection as concerns the retail supply on their territory of non-prescription medicinal products offered for sale at a distance to the public by means of information society services, where such conditions have the effect of depriving the obligation set out in Article 85c(1) of its effectiveness.","paragraph_id":"para_135"},{"text":"29","paragraph_id":"para_136"},{"text":"In the second place, as regards the objectives pursued by Directive 2001/83, it follows from recital 2 of that directive that it is aimed at safeguarding public health, inter alia, through combating the illegal sale of medicinal products to the public by means of the internet, as set out in recital …","paragraph_id":"para_137"},{"text":"30","paragraph_id":"para_138"},{"text":"From that perspective, Article 85c(1) of Directive 2001/83 requires that Member States authorise the sale at a distance to the public, by means of information society services, of all non-prescription medicinal products. In the context of the objective of public health protection and while taking in …","paragraph_id":"para_139"},{"text":"31","paragraph_id":"para_140"},{"text":"It follows that, as the Advocate General noted in point 20 of his Opinion, where the conditions provided for in Article 85c(1) of Directive 2001/83 are satisfied, a Member State cannot prohibit the offer for sale at a distance to the public, by means of an information society service, of non-prescription medicinal products.","paragraph_id":"para_141"},{"text":"32","paragraph_id":"para_142"},{"text":"Accordingly, while it is true that Article 85c(2) of that directive allows Member States to impose, on grounds of public health protection, conditions relating to the retail supply on their territory of medicinal products offered for sale at a distance to the public by means of information society s …","paragraph_id":"para_143"},{"text":"33","paragraph_id":"para_144"},{"text":"Accordingly, since the conditions referred to in Article 85c(2) of Directive 2001/83 cannot affect the scope of the obligation defined in Article 85c(1) of that directive, or the conditions set out in points (a) to (d) of that provision, the power conferred on Member States to determine the content …","paragraph_id":"para_145"},{"text":"34","paragraph_id":"para_146"},{"text":"Those conditions, which must be justified on grounds of public health protection, may apply to measures aimed at reducing the risks associated with the online sale of medicinal products. As the applicant in the main proceedings suggests, those conditions could consist, for example, of putting in pla …","paragraph_id":"para_147"},{"text":"35","paragraph_id":"para_148"},{"text":"In that context, it cannot be ruled out that Member States may make a specific category of non-prescription medicinal products subject to such conditions, for example, on account of their particular therapeutic characteristics, in so far as those conditions do not call into question the possibility of offering those medicinal products for such sale, as is apparent from Article 85c(1) of Directive 2001/83.","paragraph_id":"para_149"},{"text":"36","paragraph_id":"para_150"},{"text":"In the light of all the foregoing considerations, the answer to the first and second questions is that Article 85c(1) and (2) of Directive 2001/83 must be interpreted as precluding national legislation that, on grounds of public health protection, prohibits the sale at a distance to the public, by online pharmacy establishments using information society services, of non-prescription medicinal products, with the exception of a subcategory thereof.","paragraph_id":"para_151"},{"text":"The third and fourth questions","paragraph_id":"para_152"},{"text":"37","paragraph_id":"para_153"},{"text":"In view of the answer given to the first and second questions, there is no need to answer the third and fourth questions.","paragraph_id":"para_154"},{"text":"Costs","paragraph_id":"para_155"},{"text":"38","paragraph_id":"para_156"},{"text":"Since these proceedings are, for the parties to the main proceedings, a step in the action pending before the referring court, the decision on costs is a matter for that court. Costs incurred in submitting observations to the Court, other than the costs of those parties, are not recoverable.","paragraph_id":"para_157"},{"text":"On those grounds, the Court (Fifth Chamber) hereby rules:","paragraph_id":"para_158"},{"text":"Article 85c(1) and (2) of Directive 2001/83/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 November 2001 on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human use, as amended by Directive 2011/62/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2011,","paragraph_id":"para_159"},{"text":"must be interpreted as precluding national legislation that, on grounds of public health protection, prohibits the sale at a distance to the public, by online pharmacy establishments using information society services, of non-prescription medicinal products, with the exception of a subcategory thereof.","paragraph_id":"para_160"},{"text":"[Signatures]","paragraph_id":"para_161"},{"text":"(\n *1\n ) Language of the case: Greek.","paragraph_id":"para_162"}],"word_count":4751,"cites":["C-322/01","C-606/21","C-517/23","C-171/07","C-172/07"],"cited_by":[],"sha256":"0fb37faacd544a30a85bafaeea279e0b1e9f641df6533a5dd068becb31310d56","source_url":"https://publications.europa.eu/resource/celex/62024CJ0604.ENG.xhtml.ECR_62024CJ0604_EN_01.html","fetched_at":"2026-10-02T01:22:34.767+00:00","canonical":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/ai/judgments/eu/c-604-24","risk_graph":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/risk?id=eu:c-604-24","relations_graph":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/relations?id=eu:c-604-24","changes":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/eu-praxis/changes","agent":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/eu-praxis/agent?id=eu:c-604-24","verification":{"stored_sha256":"0fb37faacd544a30a85bafaeea279e0b1e9f641df6533a5dd068becb31310d56","recomputed_sha256":"0fb37faacd544a30a85bafaeea279e0b1e9f641df6533a5dd068becb31310d56","intact":true,"checked_at":"2026-10-25T12:39:29.962Z"}},"hash":"sha256:d6ea4f3743a21461a2708b50d4af39905319b17e7b10c55bfbb03aaf69a5db06","version":"legal-2026-10-25","expires":"2026-10-26T00:00:00.000Z","dependency":{"index_version":"legal-2026-10-25+legal-2026-10-25+2026-10-25T12:13:04","content_hash":"sha256:d6ea4f3743a21461a2708b50d4af39905319b17e7b10c55bfbb03aaf69a5db06","revalidate_after":"2026-10-25T13:39:30.423Z","max_copy_age_seconds":3600,"policy":"revalidate-required; attribution-preferred","changelog":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/dependency","verify":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/verify","stale_copy_invalid":true},"canonical":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/judgment-text?id=eu:c-604-24","follow":[{"rel":"risk","href":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/risk?id=eu:c-604-24"},{"rel":"relations","href":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/relations?id=eu:c-604-24"},{"rel":"agent","href":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/eu-praxis/agent?id=eu:c-604-24"},{"rel":"obligations","href":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/obligation-chain"},{"rel":"changes","href":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/whats-new?jurisdiction=eu"}],"disclaimer":"Source reference with official identifier. 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