I got curious as to whether the US versions of those handheld radios are legal in Europe. Here is what I have gleaned so far. The US units broadcast (and receive) in a spectrum designated in the US as FRS (Family Radio Service). It is license free. The US units are also legal in Canada and apparently, Brazil, but they are definitely not legal in the UK which allows use of similar devices, but in another part of the radio spectrum designated as PRM446. The latter standard appears to have been first adopted in 1999 for European-wide use as a license free system for personal communications. It is being adopted by most European countries. By the way, it appears that use of PRM446 handheld radios from Europe is illegal in Canada and the US. The safest advice is that if you feel that you need to keep in touch using personal handheld radios and want to stay legal, then purchase or rent a set that is legal in the country where you intend to use them.

Over and out Tom