Market evolution: Pyrotechnic articles (CN 3604) — 2015–2025

Introduction

This report analyses the evolution of EU trade in pyrotechnic articles under Combined Nomenclature code 3604, which covers fireworks, signalling flares, rain rockets, fog signals, and other pyrotechnic articles (excluding cartridge blanks). The analysis spans the period 2015–2025 and draws on import, export, production, and concentration data for the European Union trading with non-EU countries. Despite growing trade volumes in both directions, the period reveals a structural asymmetry: the EU is a massive net importer of this product category, and its dependence on external suppliers—particularly China—has deepened substantially over the decade.

For a full product overview, see the Scope & Definitions section.

1. A Widening Structural Deficit: The EU as a Net Importer of Pyrotechnic Articles

The trade deficit has grown by 57.5% over the decade

The EU has consistently been a net importer of pyrotechnic articles throughout 2015–2025, and this deficit has widened markedly. Imports grew from €271.9 million in 2015 to €424.5 million in 2025 (+56.1%), while exports increased from €89.1 million to €136.6 million (+53.3%). The result is a trade balance that deteriorated from -€182.8 million in 2015 to -€287.9 million in 2025, representing a 57.5% worsening.

The trade overview shows that the deficit was smallest in 2020 (approximately -€16.3 million), likely reflecting pandemic-era disruptions, but rebounded sharply thereafter.

The volume gap is massive, but EU exports command significantly higher unit prices

A striking feature of the EU's pyrotechnic trade is the enormous asymmetry in quantities traded. In 2025, the EU imported 128,125 tonnes but exported only 4,798 tonnes—a ratio of roughly 27:1. Yet the unit prices tell a different story: EU imports averaged €3,313/tonne while EU exports commanded €28,460/tonne, roughly 8.5 times higher.

This indicates that the EU imports large volumes of low-cost pyrotechnic goods—primarily consumer fireworks—while exporting smaller quantities of higher-value, specialised pyrotechnic articles such as signalling flares and industrial pyrotechnics.

Net import reliance has quadrupled, signalling deepening dependency

The most dramatic indicator of the EU's growing vulnerability is its net import reliance, which rose from 12.1% in 2015 to 48.3% in 2025—a 300.3% increase. This metric captures the extent to which the EU's consumption of pyrotechnic articles depends on external supply. While the EU's export propensity also grew from 9.2% to 41.9% (+354.7%), and trade intensity more than doubled from 26.1% to 75.3%, these figures confirm that the EU pyrotechnic market has become substantially more globally integrated—but in an asymmetric manner that favours import dependency.

2. China's Dominance and the Reshaping of EU Trade Partners

China accounts for over 92% of EU pyrotechnic imports by value

China's role in the EU pyrotechnic market is overwhelming. In 2025, imports from China stood at €390.8 million, representing 92.1% of total EU imports in this category. Over the decade, Chinese imports grew from €249.4 million (+56.7%), closely tracking the overall import trajectory. The partner data shows that China's share has remained consistently dominant, with the import concentration HHI for value staying around 8,428–8,497 throughout the period—indicating extremely high market concentration.

The United Kingdom has emerged as a growing import source post-Brexit

One of the most notable shifts among EU import partners has been the dramatic growth of imports from the United Kingdom, which increased from €4.7 million in 2015 to €14.7 million in 2025 (+216.3%). This may reflect changed trade flows following Brexit, with the UK becoming a third-country supplier. Conversely, imports from the United States declined by 44.1%, and imports from Hong Kong collapsed by 92.9%, suggesting a consolidation of sourcing toward China directly rather than through intermediaries.

EU exports have diversified toward the United States, the United Kingdom, and emerging European markets

On the export side, the EU's main destination is the United States, which absorbed €29.8 million in 2025 (up 130.5% from 2015), followed by the United Kingdom at €18.8 million (+194.3%). Notably, exports to Serbia surged by 360.4%, and to Norway by 133.8%, reflecting growing demand from European non-EU neighbours. The export partner data shows that the EU's export profile is far more diversified than its import profile, with an export HHI of just 909 in 2025 compared to an import HHI of 8,497.

Domestic production has collapsed, further increasing import dependency

The EU's own production of pyrotechnic articles has declined dramatically. Production quantity fell from 59,965 tonnes (in some earlier baseline) to 11,464 tonnes in the most recent period—an 80.9% drop. Production value fell from €610 million to €325.7 million (-46.6%). This collapse in domestic capacity explains much of the deepening import reliance and the growing trade deficit. The EU is increasingly consuming pyrotechnic articles it does not produce itself.

3. Two Markets in One: Fireworks Versus Specialised Pyrotechnic Articles

Fireworks (360410) dominate imports; specialised articles (360490) dominate exports in value

The CN 3604 product code bundles two distinct sub-categories: 360410 (Fireworks) and 360490 (Signalling flares, rain rockets, fog signals and other pyrotechnic articles). The product segment breakdown reveals fundamentally different trade dynamics for each:

Fireworks represent 99.3% of import volume but only 93.3% of import value. The EU is essentially a mass importer of consumer fireworks from China at low unit prices. In contrast, for specialised pyrotechnic articles (360490), the EU is a net exporter by value: it exported €102.3 million against imports of just €26.2 million, achieving a trade surplus of approximately €76 million in this sub-category alone.

EU specialised pyrotechnics command a significant price premium

The unit price data underscores the EU's competitive strength in the specialised segment. EU exports of 360490 articles averaged €46,279/tonne in 2025, compared to €27,885/tonne for imports of the same category. This suggests the EU produces high-value signalling, industrial, and military-grade pyrotechnic articles that command premium prices on global markets. By contrast, the fireworks market is a volume-driven, low-margin business dominated by Chinese manufacturers.

The 2020 pandemic shock caused a sharp but temporary import contraction

The year 2020 stands out as a clear anomaly in the data. EU imports of fireworks (360410) fell to just 79,744 tonnes and €190.0 million—a 24% decline in volume and 28% in value compared to 2019. This reflects the widespread cancellation of public celebrations and events during COVID-19 lockdowns. However, the recovery was rapid: by 2023, imports had surpassed pre-pandemic levels at 109,612 tonnes and €334.6 million, and by 2025 reached record levels. Export volumes of fireworks were less affected, though export values dipped in 2020 (from €17.6 million to €9.6 million), suggesting the EU's specialised production was more resilient.

EU Member States show divergent roles in the pyrotechnic trade

The reporter-level data reveals significant variation among EU Member States:

Germany is both the largest importer and largest exporter, consistent with its role as a logistics hub. The Netherlands saw its imports surge by 145.5%, likely reflecting the Port of Rotterdam's role as a gateway for Chinese fireworks entering the EU. Spain dramatically reduced its imports (-52.0%) while more than doubling its exports (+171.5%), suggesting a shift in its pyrotechnic industry toward export orientation. Specialisation data confirms that the Netherlands (RSCA: 0.49) and Czechia (RSCA: 0.37) are the most specialised EU producers of pyrotechnic articles, while large economies like Belgium and Ireland show negligible specialisation.

Conclusion

The EU trade in pyrotechnic articles over 2015–2025 tells a story of two diverging realities. On one hand, the EU has become increasingly dependent on China for its mass consumption of fireworks, with import reliance quadrupling and domestic production collapsing by over 80% in quantity. This concentration of supply—China accounts for over 92% of import value—represents a significant vulnerability, particularly given the volatility observed in some supplier relationships (e.g., Albania, the United Kingdom). On the other hand, the EU maintains a strong competitive position in specialised, high-value pyrotechnic articles such as signalling flares and industrial pyrotechnics, where it runs a comfortable trade surplus and commands premium unit prices. The 2020 pandemic provided a temporary shock to the fireworks trade, but the subsequent recovery to record import levels suggests that demand for consumer pyrotechnics remains robust. Going forward, the key structural question for the EU pyrotechnic sector is whether it can sustain its niche in high-value specialised articles while managing the strategic risks of near-total import dependence for consumer fireworks.