Fireworks policy in the European Union: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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[[File:Fireworks @ Eurockéennes de Belfort 2013 (9381027087).jpg|thumb|Fireworks at [[Eurockéennes]] 2013 in [[Belfort]], [[France]].]]

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}{{use British English|date=December 2017}}

'''Fireworks policy in the European Union''' is aimed at harmonising and standardising the [[Member state of the European Union|EU member states]]' policies on the regulation of production, transportation, sale, consumption and overall safety of [[fireworks]] across the [[European Union]].<ref name="Brandpunt">{{Cite news |url=http://www.uitzendinggemist.net/aflevering/247898/Brandpunt_Reporter.html |title=Wereldkampioen vuurwerk |author=Eliza Bergman & Dirk Bayens |work=Brandpunt Reporter |publisher=[[KRO-NCRV]] |date=2 January 2014 |accessdate=26 December 2017 |language=nl}}</ref> Regulation is achieved via Directive 2013/29/EU on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market of pyrotechnic articles.

== History ==

After a 2003 consultation, the [[European Commission]] introduced a proposal for a European guideline to harmonise the international trade in and safety of fireworks on 11 October 2005.<ref name="Brandpunt"/> The proposal classified fireworks into four categories on the European level. It stipulated that Category 4 is exclusively meant for professional usage, and that member states are allowed to limit the sale of fireworks to the public concerning the categories 2 and 3. The proposed minimal requirements for age limits can be heightened by the member states.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52005PC0457 |title=Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the placing on the market of pyrotechnic articles |author= |publisher= |date=11 October 2005 |accessdate= |language= }}</ref>

This led to the 'Pyrotechnic articles' Directive in 2007/23/EC, which was to be embedded into the member states' laws by 4 January 2010, to be applied by 4 July 2010 to fireworks of category 1, 2 and 3, and to be applied to all other pyrotechnic articles by 4 July 2013.<ref>[httphttps://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServeli/dir/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2007:154:0001:0021:en:PDF/23/oj Directive 2007/23/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 May 2007 on the placing on the market of pyrotechnic articles]</ref> On 12 June 2013, aDirective new 'Pyrotechnic articles' Directive2013/29/EU was adopted, which the Member States were to enact in national law by 4 July 2017.<ref>[httphttps://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-contenteli/ENdir/TXT2013/?uri=CELEX:32013L002929/oj Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 June 2013 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market of pyrotechnic articles (recast)]</ref><ref name="Daniela Siebert">{{Cite news |url=http://www.deutschlandfunk.de/feuerwerk-sicher-durch-die-silvesternacht.735.de.html?dram:article_id=406860 |title=Sicher durch die Silvesternacht |author=Daniela Siebert |work=Deutschlandfunk |date=27 December 2017 |accessdate=29 December 2017 |language=de |archive-date=29 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229171952/http://www.deutschlandfunk.de/feuerwerk-sicher-durch-die-silvesternacht.735.de.html?dram:article_id=406860 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Since 2010, [[Safety testing of explosives|safety testing]] of fireworks is required in the entire Union, but companies are allowed to test their products in one member state before importing and selling them in another.<ref name="Brandpunt"/> A 2010 document from the [[Ministry of Infrastructure, Public Works and Water Management|Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment]] revealed that several fireworks importers in the [[Netherlands]] did not yet comply to the new testing regulations, but were not penalised for it, because a number of companies claimed they needed more time to implement the changes and were granted exceptions by the Ministry.<ref name="Brandpunt"/> Dream Fireworks owner Frits Pen, who claimed to have had his fireworks tested in [[Hungary]] for thousands of euros, sued the Ministry for failing to punish his competitors who were allowed to import and sell untested fireworks for free.<ref name="Brandpunt"/> In 2014, the Ministry stated that, by then, 80% of the fireworks imported into the Netherlands had a [[CE marking]] and were being checked.<ref name="Brandpunt"/>

==Changes in European Union Fireworks Standards==

The European Union's import rules for fireworks and firecrackers mainly consist of the requirements included in Directive 2013/29/EU, such as harmonised standards including EN 15947 and [[CE marking]].<ref>[https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52017XC0512(03) Commission communication in the framework of the implementation of Directive 2013/29/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market of pyrotechnic articles]</ref> The EN 15947 standards series is a series of European fireworks safety standards. CE marking is possible for products that meet the requirements of these standards.

{{external links|date=May 2024}}

The European Union's import rules for fireworks and firecrackers mainly consists of fireworks directives, [https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=uriserv:OJ.C_.2017.149.01.0001.01.ENG EN15947] and [https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=uriserv:OJ.C_.2017.149.01.0001.01.ENG CE certification]. [https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=uriserv:OJ.C_.2017.149.01.0001.01.ENG EN15947] is a fireworks safety standard formulated in accordance with the Fireworks Directive and a common mandatory standard of the European Union. According to the relevant EU policies, the imported fireworks products can only be certified by [https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=uriserv:OJ.C_.2017.149.01.0001.01.ENG CE] if they meet the requirements of [https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=uriserv:OJ.C_.2017.149.01.0001.01.ENG EN15947]. Since 2013, EU [https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=uriserv:OJ.C_.2017.149.01.0001.01.ENG CE] testing has been more stringent.<ref>{{cite journal |author=EEA relevance |title=NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES |date=5 December 2017 |page=2 |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=uriserv:OJ.C_.2017.149.01.0001.01.ENG}}</ref>

== Categorisation of fireworks ==

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== See also ==

*[[EuropeanDirective Firearms(EU) Directive2021/555]]

*[[Fireworks law in the United Kingdom]]

*[[Fireworks policy inof the United States]]

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Fireworks policy by country|European Union]]▼

[[Category:Cultural policies of the European Union]]

[[Category:European Union law]]▼

[[Category:Safety in the European Union]]▼

[[Category:Culture of the Republic of Ireland]]

▲[[Category:European Union law]]

▲[[Category:Fireworks policy by country|European Union]]

[[Category:Law of the Republic of Ireland]]

▲[[Category:Safety in the European Union]]