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Applying for approval for the international transfer of explosives

If you want to transfer explosives for civil use within the European Union (EU), you need approval from all the EU Member States from, through, and to which the explosives will be transferred. If the Netherlands is one of those Member States, you must apply for approval from the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT).

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Requirements

You need approval to transfer explosives for civil use through EU Member States. This is called approval for the Intra-Community transfer of explosives.

A transfer means the physical movement of civil explosives from one place to another. Moving explosives within a site (such as a factory, mine, quarry or construction site) is not considered a transfer of civil explosives.

You need approval from the ILT in the following situations:

  • The transfer starts in the Netherlands.
  • The transfer ends in the Netherlands.
  • The transfer passes through the Netherlands.

If the transfer starts or end in another EU Member State, or passes through other EU Member States, you must also request approval from the authorities of those Member States.

Required attachments

You must upload several attachments with your online application.

  • If the transfer ends in the Netherlands, the transfer permit from the municipality to which you are transferring the explosives.
  • If the transfer begins or ends in the Netherlands, the WECG accreditation (in Dutch) from the Netherlands police.
  • If the transfer passes through the Netherlands or begins in the Netherlands, the Intra-Community authorisation from the receiving EU Member State.

Please note: gather all attachments before completing the online form.

How to apply

You can apply for approval from the ILT using the online form Application for permission under the WECG (Explosives for Civil Uses Act).

Go to the online form

Cost

The fee for applying for approval from the ILT to transfer change annually.

These amounts are legally determined in Article 4 of the Regeling aanvraag erkenning en onkostenvergoeding goedkeuring Wet explosieven voor civiel gebruik (regulation on applications for recognition and reimbursement of expenses for approval under the Explosives for Civil Uses Act, in Dutch). You do not have to pay VAT on this amount.

After submitting your application

  1. You will receive an automatic email confirming that the ILT has received your application.
  2. If any information is missing, the ILT will ask you to provide additional details.
  3. Once your application is complete, the ILT will begin processing your application.
  4. It takes up to 8 weeks to complete your application.
  5. You will receive the decision by email. This is called a beschikking. It states why you have or have not been granted approval by the ILT to transfer explosives through, to, or from the Netherlands. The decision also states any additional requirements for the shipment, such as secure shipment.
  6. You will receive a payment request by email. Please pay within 4 weeks of the date on the payment request.

Validity

The ILT's approval to transfer explosives is valid for a maximum of 1 year. The effective date is usually the date of the decision.

If you have applied for approval to transfer on a specific date, that is the effective date.

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