Schengen certificate (Schengen-Bescheinigung)

The Schengen certificate (Schengen-Bescheinigung) is the official form under Article 75 of the Schengen Implementing Convention (SDÜ) that allows patients to carry prescribed medicines with controlled substances when travelling within the Schengen area, for up to 30 days of treatment. Switzerland implements it in the Narcotics Control Ordinance (Art. 41 para. 1bis, Art. 42 and Annex 2 BetmKV). Swissmedic provides the official form.

How the certificate works

• Patients travelling to a Schengen state are entitled to a certificate from their treating physician (Art. 42 BetmKV).
• The pharmacist who dispenses the medicine on the prescription authenticates the certificate and promptly sends a copy to the authority of the canton where the treatment took place. Self-dispensing physicians fill in the certificate completely and send the copy themselves (Art. 42 BetmKV).
• The certificate is valid for at most 30 days, and one certificate is needed per medicine (Art. 42 BetmKV).
• Without an export permit, medicines with controlled substances may be taken out of Switzerland for at most 30 days of treatment, if the destination country allows it and the medicine contains no substance of Verzeichnis d (Art. 42 BetmKV).

Outside the Schengen area

For countries outside the Schengen area, the rules of the destination and transit countries apply. Swissmedic recommends checking with the country's consular representation in good time and carrying a medical certificate. Its template is based on UNODC guidelines but is not an officially recognised form, and Swissmedic issues no export permits for personal medication (Swissmedic; Art. 42 para. 1 BetmKV). Our article on travelling with prescribed medication explains the practical side.