Municipalities take different approaches to fireworks ban
Eight municipalities in the Kempen refuse exemptions, while Pekela makes room for three local fireworks displays.
Follow-up to: Municipalities regularly refuse fireworks exemptions for New Year's Eve Monday, 12 October 2026, 17:30
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Municipalities are making the first concrete decisions on exemptions under the national fireworks ban. Eight municipalities in eastern Brabant are refusing exemptions this year, while Pekela is making room for associations to hold up to three fireworks displays.
The eight Kempen municipalities of Bladel, Bergeijk, Best, Eersel, Oirschot, Reusel-De Mierden, Veldhoven and Waalre will grant no exemptions for the 2026–2027 New Year period. The mayors say the new scheme was introduced shortly before New Year and that there is insufficient time and capacity to organise applications, supervision and enforcement properly.
The municipalities announced their decision on Monday. According to Bladel, it is in line with a joint regional approach in eastern Brabant. The municipalities also say they have made agreements with the police and the Public Prosecution Service on supervision, enforcement and the deployment of emergency services. They plan to evaluate the approach after New Year.
The national Safe New Year's Eve Act (Wet veilige jaarwisseling) has been in force since 1 August. Consumers are therefore not allowed to set off fireworks; only category F1 fireworks, such as sparklers and pull-string fireworks, remain permitted. The act does allow associations and foundations to apply for an exemption for consumer fireworks under certain conditions.
Not all municipalities are making the same choice. In Pekela, the municipal executive has decided to make room for three exemptions, one per village centre. Associations and foundations must submit their applications before 1 November. The municipality says it wants to prevent residents from experiencing the ban as a complete loss of the New Year celebrations.
Oudewater also announced on Monday that it would grant no exemptions. There, the municipal authorities refer to safety and enforceability. The different decisions show that the statutory possibility of exemption is being applied differently at local level, despite the national character of the ban.
For organisers, the difference means they must check with each municipality whether an application is possible and what conditions apply. The scheme may also have consequences for fireworks companies, as local displays and association activities could affect demand for professionally organised fireworks.
The new decisions say nothing yet about how the New Year period will ultimately unfold. Municipalities must enforce the ban during a period in which many reports, crowds and deployments of police, fire services and healthcare coincide. The evaluations afterwards will show whether the local choices were workable and whether additional national rules are needed.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The national act bans consumer fireworks from the 2026–2027 New Year period, with an exception for category F1.
- Municipalities can grant exemptions to associations and foundations under certain conditions.
- Eight Kempen municipalities are refusing exemptions, while Pekela is making three exemptions possible.
- Oudewater is refusing exemptions.
Left
Arguments A national ban should be implemented in the same way everywhere to limit accidents, nuisance and fireworks tourism. Municipalities should not allow exemptions if the police and emergency services already consider the risks high.
Values Public safety, protection of emergency workers and uniform rules.
Consequences A strict approach could make enforcement simpler and reduce nuisance, but it limits local associations and traditions.
Centre
Arguments The act deliberately allows room for local tailoring. Municipalities can assess for each location whether an organised display is safe and workable, provided that the conditions and evaluation are transparent.
Values Proportionality, workability and administrative responsibility.
Consequences Tailoring can increase support, but it makes the rules less clear and requires additional supervision.
Right
Arguments A ban interferes with a popular tradition and should therefore go no further than necessary. Local authorities that can guarantee safety should give associations room to organise controlled fireworks displays.
Values Personal freedom, tradition and local autonomy.
Consequences Local displays can increase support for the ban, but from this perspective exemptions can also weaken clarity and enforceability.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The municipal decisions and the national statutory framework were checked against primary sources. The text avoids an unverifiable claim about a national majority.
- confirmed Eight Kempen municipalities are refusing exemptions for the 2026–2027 New Year period. — The municipality of Bladel names all eight municipalities and the joint decision. source
- confirmed The Safe New Year's Eve Act has been in force since 1 August 2026. — This is stated in the municipal announcement and by the Dutch national government. source
- confirmed Pekela is making room for three exemptions. — The local announcement mentions three exemptions, one per village centre. source
- confirmed Oudewater is granting no exemptions. — RTV Midden Holland describes the municipality's decision. source
- confirmed Only category F1 remains permitted for consumers. — The Dutch national government and the municipal announcement mention this exception. source
Editor's note
The individual municipal decisions and the statutory possibility of exemptions are certain. No national percentage of municipalities unwilling to grant exemptions was used, because no directly verifiable public inventory was available for this.Sources
- Geen uitzonderingen op vuurwerkverbod tijdens jaarwisseling 2026-2027 — Gemeente Bladel
- Kempengemeenten handhaven vuurwerkverbod zonder uitzonderingen — Omroep Brabant
- Oudewater geeft geen vuurwerkontheffingen — RTV Midden Holland
- Pekela geeft verenigingen ruimte voor vuurwerkontheffing tijdens jaarwisseling — Prachtig Pekela
- Landelijk vuurwerkverbod voor consumenten dit jaar van kracht — Rijksoverheid
The story so far
- Monday, 12 October 2026, 17:30 Municipalities regularly refuse fireworks exemptions for New Year's Eve
- Monday, 12 October 2026, 19:28 Municipalities take different approaches to fireworks ban (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- de Volkskrant — „vuurwerkverbod jaarwisseling”
- RTL Nieuws — „vuurwerkverbod jaarwisseling”
- NOS — „vuurwerkverbod jaarwisseling”