The Dutch parliament has approved the motion for a nationwide fireworks ban. However, due to implementation challenges, the ban will only apply in the Netherlands after New Year’s Eve this year. 

Dutch parliament supports general fireworks ban

After years with millions of euros in damages due to New Year’s fireworks and increasing concerns from police and medical workers about the pyrotechnics, the Netherlands will soon have a nationwide fireworks ban. A long political debate preceded the successful vote to ban fireworks in the country.

GroenLinks-PvdA and ChristenUnie submitted the proposal back in 2020 and have, over the years, tried to convince other parties to support the ban. Recently, the VVD, CDA and NSC got behind the ban, while the BBB and PVV are still against it. 

Delays to implementation of Dutch fireworks ban

While there was a majority supporting the ban, there were still some concerns before the proposal was passed. The fireworks industry demanded that, if a general ban was implemented this year as was part of the plan, the government pay fireworks sellers 895 million euros to offset losses incurred, as most sellers have bought stock in advance.

According to NOS, State Secretary for Public Transport and the Environment Chris Jansen also stated that it would be impossible to implement the ban by New Year’s Eve this year, stating that it would take at least 18 months. "If we wait another year, a catastrophe threatens the coming New Year's Eve. Nobody should want that," said MP Ines Kostić of the Party for the Animals (PvdD).

Fearing that worse chaos than usual would ensue if the ban is not put into effect this year, the CU and CDA parties pushed to have the law developed as soon as possible, receiving support among the Tweede Kamer. The VVD and SP supported the motion from JA21 and BBB to implement the ban from 2026 at the earliest. The result is that the prohibition of fireworks in the Netherlands will only apply after this year and could be in place in time for New Year’s Eve 2026 / 2027.

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