{
  "type": "problem",
  "slug": "pyrotechnics",
  "lang": "en",
  "url": "https://www.conphora.com/solutions/problem/pyrotechnics/",
  "markdown": "https://www.conphora.com/solutions/problem/pyrotechnics.md",
  "title": "We sell fireworks or party pyrotechnics",
  "description": "Selling fireworks under Directive 2013/29/EU: categories F1 to F4, age limits, the label and registration number, importer and distributor checks, records.",
  "answer": "Under Directive 2013/29/EU, fireworks and other pyrotechnic articles may only be made available when they meet the essential safety requirements, carry the CE marking and are labelled with their category, registration number and age limit. Importers and distributors check this before selling, respect the age limits and specialist-only categories, keep supplier records for 10 years and follow national restrictions on F2 and F3 fireworks.",
  "theme": {
    "id": "chemicals-materials",
    "label": "Chemicals and materials"
  },
  "roles": [
    {
      "id": "importer",
      "label": "Importer"
    },
    {
      "id": "distributor",
      "label": "Distributor"
    }
  ],
  "regulations": [
    "PyroD"
  ],
  "path": [
    "regulation-library"
  ],
  "trigger": "You start importing or stocking fireworks, party poppers, sparklers or stage effects, or a season starts and the authorities check shops and webshops",
  "keep": "The EU declaration of conformity and the technical documentation for 10 years after the article was placed on the market (Directive 2013/29/EU Articles 8(3) and 12(8)); the identity of the economic operators that supplied you and that you supplied, for 10 years (Article 15)",
  "why": [
    {
      "text": "Fireworks, stage effects and other pyrotechnic articles are regulated by Directive 2013/29/EU. A pyrotechnic article is any article containing explosive substances or an explosive mixture designed to produce heat, light, sound, gas or smoke, or a combination, through self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions (Article 3(1)). The directive does not apply to articles for non-commercial use by the armed forces, police or fire services, to marine equipment, to the aerospace industry, to percussion caps for toys, to explosives, to ammunition, and to fireworks a manufacturer builds for its own use with national approval that stay in that Member State (Article 2(2)). EUR-Lex lists no amending act, only corrigenda.",
      "sources": [
        1
      ]
    },
    {
      "text": "The manufacturer categorises each article by type of use, purpose and level of hazard, including noise, and a notified body confirms the category in the conformity assessment (Article 6(1)). Fireworks run from F1, very low hazard and suitable for use inside domestic buildings, to F4, high hazard and for persons with specialist knowledge only. Theatrical articles are T1 and T2, other articles P1 and P2. Conformity assessment always involves a notified body: EU-type examination with a production module, unit verification, or full quality assurance for F4 (Article 17). The manufacturer then signs the EU declaration of conformity and affixes the CE marking (Article 8(2)).",
      "sources": [
        1
      ]
    },
    {
      "text": "Sales are limited by age and by knowledge. Pyrotechnic articles may not be made available to persons below 12 years for F1, 16 years for F2 and 18 years for F3, T1 and P1, and Member States may raise these limits (Article 7(1) and (2)). F4, T2 and P2 articles may only be made available to persons with specialist knowledge (Article 7(3)). Member States may also restrict the possession, use or sale to the general public of F2 and F3 fireworks and other articles on grounds of public order, security, health and safety or environmental protection (Article 4(2)).",
      "sources": [
        1
      ]
    },
    {
      "text": "The label carries most of what a seller must check. Article 10 requires labelling in the official language of the country where the article is made available to the consumer, with the manufacturer and importer details, the name and type, the registration number assigned by the notified body, the product, batch or serial number, the age limit, the category, instructions, the year of production for F3 and F4, the net explosive content and, where appropriate, a minimum safety distance.",
      "sources": [
        1
      ]
    },
    {
      "text": "Importers check that the conformity assessment was carried out, that the technical documentation exists, and that the article bears the CE marking and the required documents (Article 12(2)); they add their own name and address (Article 12(3)) and keep records of registration numbers (Article 9(2)). Distributors verify the CE marking, the documents, the language of the instructions and the manufacturer and importer details before selling (Article 13(2)). On request, every economic operator must identify to the market surveillance authorities the economic operators that supplied it and those it supplied, for 10 years after being supplied and after supplying; the duty concerns economic operators, not consumers (Article 15). The separate rules on explosives precursors in Regulation (EU) 2019/1148 do not apply to pyrotechnic articles (Article 2(2)(b) of that Regulation).",
      "sources": [
        1,
        2
      ]
    }
  ],
  "steps": [
    {
      "name": "Read the category and the age limit on each article",
      "text": "The manufacturer categorises every pyrotechnic article and a notified body confirms it. Fireworks are F1 to F4, theatrical articles T1 and T2, other articles P1 and P2. The age limits are 12 years for F1, 16 for F2 and 18 for F3, T1 and P1, and Member States may raise them.",
      "item": "regulation-library"
    },
    {
      "name": "Check the goods before they go on sale",
      "text": "Look for the CE marking, the registration number, the name and address of the manufacturer and, for non-EU goods, the importer, instructions and safety information in the language of the country of sale, the net explosive content and the minimum safety distance where required."
    },
    {
      "name": "Check the national rules for the country of sale",
      "text": "The directive allows Member States to prohibit or restrict the possession, use or sale to the general public of F2 and F3 fireworks, theatrical articles and other articles on grounds of public order, security, health and safety or the environment. Check each country you sell into."
    },
    {
      "name": "Control who can buy",
      "text": "Do not sell below the age limit, and sell F4, T2 and P2 articles only to persons with specialist knowledge. For a webshop, build the age and specialist checks into the order flow."
    },
    {
      "name": "Keep records and store safely",
      "text": "Importers keep records of registration numbers and keep the declaration of conformity for 10 years. Every economic operator must be able to identify, on request, the economic operators that supplied it and those it supplied, for 10 years. Storage and transport must not affect compliance with the safety requirements."
    }
  ],
  "documents": [
    {
      "name": "EU declaration of conformity and access to the technical documentation",
      "from": "The manufacturer",
      "ground": "Directive 2013/29/EU Articles 8(2)–(3) and 12(8)"
    },
    {
      "name": "Register of registration numbers of the articles you make available",
      "from": "The importer, from the labels and the manufacturer",
      "ground": "Directive 2013/29/EU Article 9(2)"
    },
    {
      "name": "Records of the economic operators that supplied you and that you supplied",
      "from": "Purchase and sales records",
      "ground": "Directive 2013/29/EU Article 15"
    }
  ],
  "risks": [
    {
      "title": "Non-conforming goods may not be sold",
      "text": "An importer or distributor who has reason to believe an article does not meet the essential safety requirements must not place or make it available until it is brought into conformity, and must inform the authorities where it presents a risk (Directive 2013/29/EU Articles 12(2) and 13(2)).",
      "source": 1
    },
    {
      "title": "Corrective measures and authority notice",
      "text": "An operator who has reason to believe an article already on the market does not conform must take corrective measures, withdraw it or recall it, and immediately inform the competent authorities where it presents a risk (Directive 2013/29/EU Articles 12(7) and 13(4)).",
      "source": 1
    },
    {
      "title": "Own brand means manufacturer duties",
      "text": "An importer or distributor that places an article on the market under its own name or trademark, or modifies it so that compliance may be affected, is considered the manufacturer and takes on the duties in Article 8 (Directive 2013/29/EU Article 14).",
      "source": 1
    }
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "Are party poppers and sparklers covered?",
      "a": "The directive covers any article containing explosive substances designed to produce heat, light, sound, gas or smoke through self-sustained exothermic reactions (Directive 2013/29/EU Article 3(1)). Percussion caps for toys under the Toy Safety Directive are excluded (Article 2(2)(d))."
    },
    {
      "q": "Can a Member State ban fireworks that carry the CE marking?",
      "a": "It may not hinder compliant articles in general (Article 4(1)), but it may prohibit or restrict possession, use and sale to the general public of F2 and F3 fireworks, theatrical and other articles on grounds of public order, security, health and safety or the environment (Article 4(2)). Under the previous directive, the Court of Justice accepted a national restriction on consumer fireworks with more than 1 kg of pyrotechnic composition, if appropriate and necessary for public order and security (Case C-137/17)."
    },
    {
      "q": "What must the label say?",
      "a": "At least the manufacturer, and for non-EU goods the importer, the name and type, the registration number, the product, batch or serial number, the age limit, the category, instructions for use, the net explosive content, and for F3 and F4 the year of production (Directive 2013/29/EU Article 10(2))."
    },
    {
      "q": "Does the explosives precursors regulation also apply to fireworks?",
      "a": "No. Regulation (EU) 2019/1148 on explosives precursors does not apply to pyrotechnic articles as defined in Directive 2013/29/EU (Regulation (EU) 2019/1148 Article 2(2)(b)). It covers substances and mixtures listed in its annexes."
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Directive 2013/29/EU on the making available on the market of pyrotechnic articles",
      "publisher": "EUR-Lex",
      "url": "https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32013L0029",
      "accessed": "2026-10-04"
    },
    {
      "title": "Regulation (EU) 2019/1148 on the marketing and use of explosives precursors",
      "publisher": "EUR-Lex",
      "url": "https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32019R1148",
      "accessed": "2026-10-04"
    },
    {
      "title": "Judgment of the Court of 26 September 2018, Van Gennip and Others, C-137/17",
      "publisher": "EUR-Lex",
      "url": "https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:62017CJ0137",
      "accessed": "2026-10-04"
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "explosives-precursors",
    "distributor-duties",
    "label-no-eu-address",
    "language-requirements",
    "needs-ce-marking"
  ],
  "reviewer": "Conphora compliance team",
  "reviewedAt": "2026-10-04",
  "notice": "General information, not legal advice."
}