A Dictionary of Dutchness

Vuurwerkwet

Every year in the run up to the New Year celebrations, the police make dozens of arrests and seize thousands of kilos of illegal fireworks under the vuurwerkwet (fireworks law). This states that fireworks may only be sold to the public from licensed locations during a few days prior to December 31. If you want to buy fireworks at any other time of the year, you need a special licence. Importing them from Belgium, as lots of people do, is illegal.