Business · Trade · 8 hrs ago
Netherlands says tracing oil product origins is difficult as it buys from India
The Netherlands is a major buyer of India’s petroleum products, and Rotterdam is a key gateway for fuel entering the EU.
India is the world’s second-largest buyer of Russian crude oil, after China, and Russia supplies nearly half of India’s oil imports.
The Dutch government says it is difficult to trace oil origins because crude is mixed at several points in the supply chain.
EU rules prohibit imports of petroleum products refined in other countries from Russian crude, but products from refineries that also process Russian oil are not automatically banned.
Importers must show that the specific products they bring into the EU were made from non-Russian crude and provide supporting documents.
The challenge is verifying where each shipment’s crude came from, while the Dutch government says not all shipments can be monitored.
The Netherlands says tracing the origin of petroleum products is difficult because oil can be mixed at multiple points in the supply chain.
The country is the third-largest buyer of India's petroleum products, according to Mint.
India is the second-largest buyer of Russian crude oil after China, and Russian supplies account for nearly half of its oil imports.
The Netherlands says EU rules require importers to show that products entering the bloc were made from non-Russian crude.
An energy policy expert cited by Mint said European imports of refined products derived from Russian oil reflect double standards in global energy markets.
- Who
- The Netherlands and India are central to the story; the Netherlands buys petroleum products from India.
- What
- The Netherlands says tracking the origin of petroleum products is difficult because crude oils can be mixed. EU rules require evidence that imported products were made from non-Russian crude.
- When
- The article was published on 10 November 2026. The EU restriction cited by the Netherlands took effect on 21 January 2026.
- Where
- The Netherlands, India and the European Union.
- Why
- Oil is mixed at multiple points in the supply chain, making origins difficult to trace. The issue matters for enforcing the EU ban on petroleum products refined from Russian crude.
Netherlands government
C. Uday Bhaskar
Aspect
Netherlands government
The Netherlands says tracing product origins is difficult and importers must provide evidence that products entering the EU came from non-Russian crude.
C. Uday Bhaskar
Bhaskar says European imports of refined products derived from Russian oil reflect double standards in global energy markets.
Aspect
Netherlands government
The Netherlands says products are not automatically barred just because a refinery processes Russian crude, if importers can document that the specific products came from non-Russian crude.
C. Uday Bhaskar
Bhaskar points to Western countries’ imports of Russian-derived products while penalties have been threatened against India for trading in Russian hydrocarbons.
Mint reported that the Netherlands had become the top destination for India's petroleum product exports.
The EU prohibition on importing petroleum products refined in third countries from Russian-origin crude took effect, according to the Netherlands Embassy.
India exported $2.78 billion worth of petroleum products to the Netherlands, according to Indian commerce ministry data cited by Mint.
Mint published the report on the Netherlands' comments about tracing petroleum product origins.
- Netherlands' rank
- Third-largest buyer of India's petroleum products
- India's rank
- Second-largest buyer of Russian crude after China
- India's exports to the Netherlands
- $2.78 billion in petroleum products, April-August 2026
- Russian crude share of India's oil imports
- Nearly 45% by value in April-August 2026
- EU restriction date
- 21 January 2026
What people are saying
It is difficult for any nation or organization to track the origins of oil products since they are mixed in "multiple places,
Traders need to show no Russian oil is used in the refining process. National custom organizations need to monitor this, but cannot monitor all shipments.
It also reveals the interconnected nature now of the global supply chain in energy, particularly after what has happened in Hormuz and West Asia.
Under the EU regulations, exports to the EU are not automatically prohibited simply because a refinery processes Russian crude.