A common and expensive assumption is that reaching customers in Germany requires a German Google Ads account. Exporters and business owners who have moved abroad both make this mistake. Campaign location targeting and the country of your billing profile are separate settings, so an existing Ukrainian account can run ads across Europe.
I have managed an account billed in euros that ran campaigns across dozens of EU countries without a separate account for each market. My guide on paying for Google Ads covers billing basics. Here, the narrower question is when a European account is genuinely useful and how to set it up correctly.
Who needs a European account and who does not
Advertising TO Europe
Your business is in Ukraine and your customers are in the EU, for example in tourism, ecommerce, or online services.
You do not need a European account. Set location targeting to the countries you serve in your existing account.
A business IN Europe
Your company or local sole trader business is registered in an EU country, pays taxes there, and serves customers there.
You need a local billing profile, which in practice is usually created with a new account, plus a VAT number if the business is VAT registered and documents for advertiser verification.
You moved but the business did not
You live in the EU, but the company and its customers remain in Ukraine.
There is no need to rush. Keep using the Ukrainian account and create a European one when you establish a local business. See paying for Google Ads from abroad.
If the first or third situation describes you, the account decision is already made. You can spend the time you have saved on planning the campaign and its budget.
How to create a European account in four steps
- Create a billing profile for the country where the business is registered. The country and currency are permanent, and the country of an existing payments profile cannot be changed. In practice, businesses usually create a new profile with a new Google Ads account.
- Add the company’s tax details. An EU business with a VAT number receives invoices from Google Ireland, and Google’s tax guidance explains when VAT is accounted for by the advertiser. Ask an accountant about the exact obligations in your country.
- Choose one of the payment methods available for the profile country and currency.
- Complete advertiser verification. The business named in the profile, payment method, and documents should be the same business.
Why you cannot simply transfer the old account
The billing profile country cannot be changed, and that country controls billing. A new local profile usually means a new Google Ads account and a fresh start. Historical statistics, ad assessments, and accumulated quality signals remain in the old account. A new account may initially pay more for the same clicks, an effect I describe as the newcomer tax in my guide to Google advertising costs.
This is not a reason to avoid moving the business. It is a reason not to create a replacement account just in case when the current account can still do the job. Do not buy a ready-made European account or enter somebody else’s address. Verification requires consistent business details, and a purchased account cannot solve that problem.
Frequently asked questions
Can I advertise across Europe from a Ukrainian account?
Yes. Choose the countries you need in the campaign’s location targeting. Your billing currency stays tied to the profile, while the ads and landing pages should use the audience’s language.
Can I have both a Ukrainian and a European account?
Yes, when the business genuinely operates in both places. Each account then has its own billing profile, accounting, and campaigns. Do not run duplicate campaigns from both accounts against the same audience.
Will the new European account perform like the old one immediately?
No. Account history does not transfer, so the new account may pay more for the same clicks at first. Include that possibility in your expectations and test budget.
My conclusion
A European Google Ads account is a legal and tax tool, not a marketing requirement. Advertising to Europe does not require one. A business that is legally based in Europe normally needs a local billing profile. Build the account around where the business is registered, with one consistent country across the profile, payment details, and documents. Campaign settings handle the markets you want to reach.