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
Australia: Challenges in pharmacy provision of emergency contraception
February 2026 – A new qualitative study explored how community pharmacists in Australia make decisions about providing emergency contraception (EC) and how professional guidelines support this care. Pharmacists described existing guidelines as inaccessible, ambiguous, and impractical for use in busy pharmacy settings. The findings highlight the need for further research to optimise guideline usability and…
ASTRA & ECEC: Tracking EC access in the region
February 2026. The ASTRA Network and ECEC continue their collaboration to monitor access to emergency contraception across Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. In the latest issue of ASTRA’s Bulletin, we share findings on the discontinuation of low-dose mifepristone emergency contraceptive (EC) pills in the Russian Federation and the resulting impact on availability in…
Japan: EC pills finally available in pharmacies
February 2026. As of 1 February, levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive (EC) pills are available for sale in pharmacies and drugstores in Japan. Currently, only one brand of EC pills has been approved for non-prescription sale. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is 7,480 yen: approximately USD 48 (Source: https://www.daiichisankyo-hc.co.jp.) According to ECEC data, prior to the regulatory…