two exceptions are Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands where the age is 18. The legal drinking age varies by state. In Canada, most provinces have a minimum age of 19 years to buy or consume alcohol, while Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec, the minimum age is 18 years. In the late 20th century, much of North America changed its minimum legal drinking ages (MLDAs) as follows: Asia Europe Most countries in Europe have set 18 as the minimum age to purchase alcohol. Although Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Serbia and Switzerland (except Ticino) maintain a minimum purchase age below 18 years, minors are permitted either full or limited access to alcohol. In 2005, 2007 and 2015 harmonization at the European Union level toward a minimum purchase age of 18 was discussed, but not agreed. Timeline of changes to drinking/purchase age or laws restricting the access to alcohol for minors: In 2002 the Spanish autonomous communities Madrid, Valencia and Catalonia raised their minimum purchase age to 18 years. Previously, Valencia and Madrid had a minimum purchase age of 16 years, and in Catalonia minors aged 16 or 17 could purchase alcohol up to 23% ABV on- and off-premise. In 2004 Denmark raised its off-premise purchase age from 15 to 16 years. In November 2005 Switzerland passed its Food and Commodities Regulation (German: Lebensmittel- und Gebrauchsgegenständeverordnung), introducing a ban on alcohol sales to anyone under the age of 16. The Alcohol Law (German: Alkoholgesetz) passed in 1980 requires a minimum age of 18 years for the retail sale of distilled spirits. Therefore, it is prohibited to sell fermented alcohol (e.g. beer, wine, sparkling wine or cider) to anyone under the age of 16, and any distilled alcohol beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years. The canton of Ticino has a cantonal law since 1989 that makes the purchase age limit for all alcohol beverages 18 years. In 2006 the Spanish autonomous community Castile and León raised its minimum purchase age from 16 to 18 years. In late 2006, Gibraltar lawmakers passed the Children and Young Persons (Alcohol, Tobacco and Gaming) Act 2006, which raised the minimum purchase age from 16 to 18 years. But the new law made an exception: minors aged 16 or 17 can purchase and consume beer, wine or cider under 15% ABV on-premise, and pre-packed containers of an alcohol strength not exceeding 5.5%