Fireworks

"The Same Procedure As Every Year"

Every year before the New Year celebrations travellers import all kinds of pyrotechnic articles (fireworks). Very often travellers are unaware of the safety risks involved in the items that are on sale.

While all fireworks that are on sale in Germany must have been tested and must display an approval mark (CE mark), fireworks brought by travellers often lack such authorisation. One can also be aware of the possibility that items purchased abroad have been labelled with counterfeit approval marks. In Germany, the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing is responsible for issuing approvals. Additional information is available on the BAM website.

Classification of fireworks

The legislation on explosives subdivides pyrotechnic articles into categories according to their level of hazard. The following categories F1 to F4 apply to fireworks:

Category F1 (indoor fireworks)

These are fireworks which present a very low hazard, and may be imported and used throughout the year by individuals over the age of 12.
Examples are firework novelty articles and table fireworks such as sparklers, hummers (whistling spinners) or small fountains.

Category F2 (consumer fireworks, retail goods)

These are New Year fireworks and other small fireworks, which may be imported by any adult, not only by trained pyrotechnicians. Some exceptions should be noted ("celebration crackers"). Fireworks of this category may only be let off on 31 December and 1 January - although not in the immediate neighbourhood of churches, hospitals, children’s homes or old people’s homes. Examples of this type of firework are rockets, "blocks", and bangers.

Category F3 (display fireworks)

Category F3 fireworks present a medium hazard and may only be imported by holders of an appropriate licence and used by trained firework operators. These fireworks differ from larger, professional, fireworks in that the amount of explosive that they contain, the height to which they can rise, and the maximum number of elements they are made up of are restricted.

Category F4 (professional fireworks)

Category F4 fireworks present a high hazard, which is why they may only be imported by appropriately licensed individuals and set off by trained fireworks operators.

The following provisions apply:

• Fireworks must always be declared to the customs office when being imported from a non-EU state.
• Category F1 fireworks may be imported throughout the year by individuals over 12 years of age.
• Authorised category F2 fireworks (such as New Year fireworks) may, in principle, be imported throughout the year by individuals over 18 years of age.
• The import of category F3 and category F4 fireworks always requires a specific licence.
• Under the Explosives Act the import of unauthorised fireworks is prohibited, and punishable; criminal proceeding will always be initiated.
• Unauthorised fireworks that have been imported will be seized; there are no travellers allowances.

The rules governing the import of fireworks from non-EU countries likewise apply similarly to the import of fireworks from EU Member States. This means that only authorised fireworks may be imported from, for example, France, the Netherlands, or Poland.