PyroD - Directive 2013/29/EU

What PyroD is and why it matters

The Pyrotechnic Articles Directive (PyroD) — formally 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 — is the EU law that governs fireworks and other pyrotechnic articles placed on the European market. If you manufacture, import or distribute anything that produces heat, light, sound, gas or smoke through self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions, it almost certainly falls within its scope. PyroD sets harmonised safety requirements, a classification system and a CE-based conformity route so that pyrotechnic articles can move freely across the single market while meeting a common protection level for people, property and the environment.

PyroD matters because pyrotechnic articles are inherently hazardous and because the regime around them is stricter than ordinary product law. The Directive ties market access to category-based age limits, mandatory third-party conformity assessment, a unique registration number for each article and detailed labelling. It also draws a deliberate line between consumer fireworks and professional articles, and it keeps a separate boundary from explosives for civil use, which are governed by their own framework.

📄 Official text: Directive 2013/29/EU on pyrotechnic articles — on EUR-Lex →

Who PyroD applies to

PyroD applies across the supply chain rather than to a single actor. The duties scale with your role, but every link is covered:

Manufacturers — anyone who makes a pyrotechnic article, or who has it designed or made and markets it under their own name or trademark. They carry the heaviest obligations, including conformity assessment, technical documentation and ensuring each article carries a registration number.
Importers — businesses bringing pyrotechnic articles from outside the EU into the Union market. They must verify the manufacturer has carried out the correct conformity assessment, drawn up the documentation and applied the required markings before placing the article on the market.
Distributors — wholesalers and retailers further down the chain who must act with due care, check that the CE marking, registration number, labelling and accompanying documents are present, and not make available articles they know or should presume to be non-compliant.

The Directive covers fireworks, theatrical pyrotechnic articles and other pyrotechnic articles, including those for vehicles such as airbag and seat-belt pretensioner gas generators. It carves out items governed by other regimes, including pyrotechnic articles for use in the aerospace, defence and maritime sectors as covered by the relevant exclusions, toys subject to the Toy Safety Directive in their pyrotechnic substance, and explosives for civil use under Directive 2014/28/EU.

Classification and categories

PyroD’s defining feature is its classification system, which links each article to a hazard level, an intended user and a minimum age. Manufacturers must classify articles according to type of use, purpose and hazard, including noise level.

Fireworks — Category F1 (very low hazard, negligible noise, for use in confined areas including inside buildings), Category F2 (low hazard and low noise, for outdoor use in confined areas), Category F3 (medium hazard, for outdoor use in large open areas), and Category F4 (high hazard, for use only by persons with specialist knowledge — so-called professional fireworks).
Theatrical pyrotechnic articles — Category T1 (low hazard, for use on stage) and Category T2 (for use only by persons with specialist knowledge).
Other pyrotechnic articles — Category P1 (other than fireworks and theatrical articles, presenting a low hazard) and Category P2 (for handling or use only by persons with specialist knowledge).

Minimum age limits

PyroD sets minimum age limits tied to category, and articles in the professional categories may only be made available to persons with specialist knowledge. The lower age limits for fireworks are 12 years for Category F1, 16 years for Category F2 and 18 years for Category F3. Categories F4, T2 and P2 are restricted to persons with the relevant specialist knowledge. Member States may raise these age limits on grounds of public order, security, safety or environmental protection, and may also lower them for people who are undergoing or have completed vocational training. Manufacturers, importers and distributors must not make articles available to anyone below the applicable limit.

Core requirements

Conformity assessment and technical documentation

A pyrotechnic article may only be placed on the market if it meets the essential safety requirements in the Directive and has undergone the appropriate conformity assessment. Because of the hazard involved, this assessment involves a notified body rather than relying on manufacturer self-declaration alone. The available procedures include EU-type examination (Module B) combined with one of the production-phase modules such as conformity to type based on internal production control plus supervised checks, on quality assurance of the production process, or on product verification, and for some articles unit verification. The manufacturer must draw up technical documentation demonstrating that the article meets the essential safety requirements and retain it, together with the EU declaration of conformity, for the period the Directive requires.

Registration number

Each pyrotechnic article must carry a registration number assigned by the notified body that carried out the conformity assessment. This unique number identifies the article and the body, and it forms part of the mandatory labelling. Member States maintain a register of these numbers so that articles placed on the market can be traced back to their conformity assessment, which supports both enforcement and recall.

CE marking and the declaration of conformity

Once conformity is established, the manufacturer draws up an EU declaration of conformity and affixes the CE marking before the article is placed on the market. The CE marking signals that the manufacturer takes responsibility for the article’s compliance with PyroD and with any other applicable Union law. Where conformity assessment involves a notified body’s production-phase surveillance, the body’s identification number accompanies the CE marking.

Labelling and instructions

Pyrotechnic articles must be labelled visibly, legibly and indelibly in the official language(s) of the Member State where the article is sold to the consumer. The labelling must include the manufacturer’s details (and the importer’s, where relevant), the article’s name and type, the registration number, the category, minimum age limit, the relevant safety information and instructions, and, where applicable, a minimum safety distance, net explosive content and the year of manufacture. Where an article is too small to carry full labelling, the information is provided on the smallest packaging unit. Instructions for use must be clear enough for safe handling.

Obligations by role

Manufacturers — classify articles, run conformity assessment with a notified body, hold technical documentation, draw up the declaration of conformity, affix CE marking and the registration number, and apply correct labelling and age limits.
Importers — verify the manufacturer’s conformity assessment and documentation, check the CE marking, registration number and labelling, add their own identification, and refuse non-compliant articles.
Distributors — check that the CE marking, registration number, labelling and required documents are present, observe age limits, store and transport with due care, and stop making available articles they believe to be non-compliant.

Enforcement

Each Member State designates the authorities that enforce PyroD through market surveillance and that oversee the notified bodies operating on their territory. In Denmark, the Danish Safety Technology Authority (Sikkerhedsstyrelsen) is the competent authority for pyrotechnic articles and fireworks. Authorities can require corrective action, restrict or prohibit making an article available, order withdrawals and recalls, and act against articles that bear the CE marking improperly.

Non-compliant and dangerous pyrotechnic articles are shared EU-wide through the market surveillance and rapid-alert mechanisms, so a problem identified in one country can trigger action across the Union. Consequences for non-compliance are set at national level and can include orders to stop sales, mandatory recalls, fines and reputational damage. Because pyrotechnics carry direct safety risk, enforcement around seasonal sales such as New Year’s Eve is typically intensive.

Getting compliant

Confirm your articles fall under PyroD and not under a separate regime such as explosives for civil use (Directive 2014/28/EU).
Classify each article correctly (F1–F4, T1/T2 or P1/P2) including its noise level.
Run the appropriate conformity assessment with a notified body and obtain a registration number.
Compile and retain technical documentation and the EU declaration of conformity.
Affix the CE marking (with the notified body number where applicable).
Apply complete labelling and instructions in the right language(s), including the registration number, category and minimum age limit.
Observe the age limits and specialist-knowledge restrictions at every point of sale.

How Conphora helps

Conphora monitors PyroD and maps your pyrotechnic articles against its requirements, flagging gaps in classification, conformity assessment, the registration number, CE marking, age limits and labelling before they become enforcement problems. The platform helps you generate and keep the right documentation, and alerts you when obligations change so your compliance stays current.

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Sources and further reading

This guide is for general information and is not legal advice.

Last updated: 12 June 2026