Welcome to the European Consortium for Emergency Contraception (ECEC)
Founded in 2012, ECEC works to expand knowledge about and access to Emergency Contraception (EC) in Europe, and promotes the standardization of EC service delivery to ensure equitable access across the region. Since 2020, ECEC also works globally to advance access to EC.
EC is the only contraceptive method that can be used after sex, and it provides women with an additional opportunity to prevent a pregnancy.
Through this website, we hope to contribute to generating and sharing knowledge of EC in Europe and globally. Your contributions are essential to helping us achieve this goal, and we encourage you to share EC information about your country by writing to us at ecec [at] eeirh [dot] org.
Go directly to country-by-country information on EC access
Go directly to the online EC counseling tool (The EC wheel)
Latest News
Reclassification request for ulipristal acetate EC pills raises concerns in Italy
July 2025. In February 2025, a scientific society in Italy submitted a formal request to reclassify emergency contraceptive pills with ulipristal acetate (UPA). The request cited findings from a proof-of-concept study that explored the potential use of UPA for medical abortion. Since becoming available without prescription in 2015, UPA emergency contraception has played a significant…
Russia: Mifepristone EC pills no longer available in pharmacies
July 2025. In April, ECEC reported on new restrictions affecting the use of mifepristone in Russia, impacting both medical abortion and emergency contraception (EC). Now, the independent Russian media outlet Vyorstka has investigated the real-world availability of mifepristone-based EC pills. After contacting six major pharmacy chains and reviewing online retailers, they found that the two most…
Global: New IPPF statement on Emergency Contraception
June 2025. The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) has released a new statement from its International Medical Advisory Panel (IMAP) on recent advances in emergency contraception (EC). The statement reviews emerging data on several EC-related topics and offers key recommendations to improve access. These include: The full statement is available here in English, Spanish, French,…