What you now have to watch out for with fireworks

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• Politicians want to ban pure firecrackers throughout Switzerland in future. The aim is to reduce noise pollution for people and animals.
• Fireworks with visual effects such as volcanoes will remain permitted. Traditional 1 August fireworks can also continue to be regulated by the cantons and municipalities.
• Stricter regulations apply to private imports from abroad. Larger or more dangerous fireworks will require a permit in future.

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The setting off of firecrackers is to be banned throughout Switzerland. Parliament is of this opinion. The Council of States approved the corresponding legal provisions on Wednesday as a second chamber. An overview of what will apply in future:

The national Explosives Act will be amended. There are new provisions on the import and use of fireworks. The scope of the law will be extended to all persons who set off fireworks. The tightening of the law was triggered by the popular initiative "For a restriction on fireworks (fireworks initiative)". As this initiative enjoys strong support among the population according to surveys, Parliament has drawn up an indirect counter-proposal.

The core of the initiative is a ban on pyrotechnic articles intended solely for the production of firecrackers. The ban on firecrackers is intended to reduce noise pollution for humans and animals.

Fireworks with optical effects are not affected by the stricter regulations. It is also legal to set off fireworks that pose a very low risk and produce a negligible noise level. The Federal Council will regulate the details in an ordinance. Parliament's intention is clear: popular fireworks such as volcanoes, which are generally considered to cause little disturbance, should still be able to be set off.

No, the previous rules apply. A permit is therefore still only required for the use of pyrotechnic articles intended for industrial, technical or agricultural purposes. Parliament has rejected a more extensive identification requirement.

In short, only non-hazardous fireworks - and only in small quantities - may be imported personally. The import of sparklers, cake fountains, firecrackers, table bombs and other small fireworks will be limited to 2.5 kilograms per person per day. A permit is required for the import of larger and more dangerous fireworks.

Yes, Parliament emphasized during the debates that festive customs that are firmly rooted in the population should be preserved. The cantons and municipalities can continue to decide autonomously. Specifically, they can restrict the setting off of fireworks in terms of time and place to certain occasions, attach additional conditions to them or ban them altogether.

That remains to be seen. If the authors of the fireworks initiative withdraw their proposal, the amendments passed by Parliament will remain in place. If the initiative were to be put to the vote and accepted, Parliament would probably have to implement further restrictions on the sale and use of noise-generating fireworks.

Following the fire disaster in Crans-Montana, the responsible committee of the Council of States examined a ban on fireworks in publicly accessible indoor areas. As such a ban already came into force in all cantons on April 1, regulations in federal law became obsolete.