Wil je die ook hier plaatsen?
Van het weekend ga ik ook even een toetsenbord verslijten.
Jazeker!
To:
[email protected]
Subject: Notification 2020/0721/NL - X00M - temporary ban on fireworks in category F2 in the Netherlands due to COVID-19
Dear Madam/Sir,
Following notification 2020/0721/NL - X00M, which has been submitted by the Dutch government to implement a temporary ban on the sales, possession and use of fireworks in category F2 during the upcoming turn of the year, I would like to object against the request to apply the Emergency Procedure, in order to have the ban effective as per 29 December 2020.
The ground for my objection is that the request is supported by false facts, which are intented to convince the European Commission that the ban would be in the interest of public policy, health and safety. In fact, the ban is nothing more and nothing less than a symbolic compensation for the people working in healthcare, after many years of budget cuts in this sector, which has resulted in a healthcare system that was far from ready for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the ban is a political compensation for the green parties, in return for their support in a vote about new tax plans.
The Dutch government has claimed that the ban is necessary for three reasons:
1. Easing the strain on healthcare facilities
2. Lowering the burden on on the services responsible for maintaining public order
3. Avoiding further spreading of COVID-19, due to large gatherings outdoors
It cannot be denied that COVID-19 puts a massive strain on the healthcare facilities. However, the effects of the use of fireworks around the turn of the year are blown out of proportion. In the request itself, the fact is stated that in the previous year only 385 people with fireworks-related injuries reported to the 84 emergency medical stations in the Netherlands. It is not mentioned that only 42 of those 385 were hospitalized. The others were sent home after receiving minor treatment. In a recent televised interview, the head of intensive care departments in the Netherlands, Dr. Diederik Gommers, stated that the influx of fireworks victims during New Year's Eve is hardly affecting the departments where COVID-19 patients are being treated, adding that apparently the ban on fireworks is a political move.
It also should be noted that a portion of the fireworks victims are people that were engaged in setting off illegal fireworks (category F4). One may assume that these account for the most serious injuries, due to the nature of fireworks in that category. It is obvious that a ban on F2-fireworks will not result in a decrease in this area. Quite the opposite can be expected, due to the fact that illegal F4-fireworks will be the only alternative for people that insist on setting off fireworks to celebrate the New Year. In fact, since the ban on F2-fireworks has been announced, the market for illegal fireworks is booming. Many people believe that this will actually result in more casualties, instead of less.
Furthermore, amendments to the Fireworks Decree already will become effective as per 1 December 2020. Due to these amendments, certain types of fireworks, such as rockets, bangers and single shot mortars, will be banned as it stands. It can be expected that this will have a positive effect on the number of fireworks victims. This has been completely - and one may assume deliberately - ignored in the request.
The claim that the ban on F2-fireworks will lower the burden on services for maintaining public order is just as false. It is true that in the Netherlands, we have a history of violence and incidents during New Year's Eve. The main problem here is that groups of hooligans in parts of certain cities act as if there is no law in place during that night. Certainly, part of the hooliganism involves the abuse of fireworks, but cause and effect should not be turned around. If no fireworks are available, the hooligans will find other means to cause mayhem. It also should be pointed out that these hooligans typically are not making use of F2-fireworks. Obviously, they prefer to set off F4-fireworks, because of the greater impact.
Also the third claim in the notification is far from the truth. The majority of people in the Netherlands celebrate New Year's Eve at their homes or with family and friends. For many people, this involves setting off fireworks in modest quantities. In the Netherlands, we have much less of a tradition of gathering in town centers and public squares, like for instance in Germany. Claiming that a ban on fireworks will have a positive effect on the spreading of COVID-19, because it avoids citizens flooding the streets (en masse!) is a blatant lie. The majority of Dutch people adhere to the rules of social distancing. There is no reason to believe that all of a sudden they will act differently when they are allowed to set off fireworks.
My conclusion is that there are no grounds for the claim that a temporary ban on F2-fireworks will have a critical positive impact on public health and safety. Therefore, the request for application of the Emergency Procedure should be rejected.
I trust to have informed you properly and hope that the European Commission will decide wisely.
Yours sincerely,
