Appeal from states prompts EU to introduce stricter firework laws

Following an urgent appeal from governments in three EU member states, the European Commission is set to introduce stricter regulations for heavy fireworks.

Crackdown on fireworks in Europe

Earlier this year, the European Commission received an urgent appeal from the Netherlands, France and Sweden to amend the current fireworks regulations.

The governments believe stricter rules should be put in place, especially for how heavy fireworks are sold in the EU, and that European countries should work together. 

According to NOS, the European Commission recently sent a letter to the three governments stating that it “shares the concerns regarding the increasing criminal misuse of fireworks” and will introduce new laws to crack down on it. 

The proposal for the new rules should be submitted in the next year, after which the 27 member states will need to vote on them. With all this in mind, the regulations could be implemented from 2030.

The Netherlands pushing for quick implementation

MEP Raquel García Hermida-van der Walle (D66) is campaigning for stricter regulations, mainly focusing on a European ban on heavy fireworks like Cobras, which are legally produced in Italy.

Heavy fireworks are typically classified as category F4, which means they are considered professional pyrotechnic material because they are more dangerous. These are often used in explosive attacks and have been banned in the Netherlands since 2020.

“Pressure from the Netherlands remains high, because the problem is getting bigger," Hermida-van der Walle told NOS. "Many countries share our concerns, but there are other places where they see the problem less, for example, in Italy, which has a fireworks industry."

Germany has also floated the idea of stricter rules at the federal level. In light of the discussion, fireworks manufacturers in Germany sold record numbers of fireworks around the New Year 2025.