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Selling fuels in the Netherlands

Published by:
Netherlands Enterprise Agency, RVO

Do you sell fuels? If so, you must comply with the rules of the Environmental Activities Decree (Bal). You must also offer alternative (bio)fuels, label the different types of fuels, and display a fuel price comparison. 

Soil and air rules 

Fuels must not enter the soil, and you must also prevent emissions from fuels into the air. You must comply with the following rules:

Safety regulations 

When working with fuels, there is a risk of fire and explosion. If you supply or temporarily store fuels, you must comply with the safety regulations from the Dangerous Substances Publication series (Publicatiereeks Gevaarlijke Stoffen, PGS): 

These publications contain the requirements for, for example: 

  • the construction, positioning, and design of the LPG delivery installation or CNG filling station
  • inspections, monitoring, and maintenance of the LPG delivery installation
  • operational management of the installation, such as supervision, what to do in case of emergencies, and which signs to put up
  • minimum distances between the delivery installation or road tanker and other objects 

Obligation to report 

Do you want to sell or store fuel? Then you must report this (in Dutch). You submit the notification via the Environment and Planning Portal (Omgevingsloket, in Dutch) at least 4 weeks before starting your activities. 

Offering biofuels 

Do you sell fuels for vehicles using public roads? Then your annual sales must consist partly of biofuels. This is registered in the Energy for Transport Registry. Biofuels are made from plant material or waste. 

Offer E10 petrol 

Does your petrol station have 2 or more filling installations (pumps)? If so, at least half of them must offer E10 petrol. E10 contains a higher percentage of biofuel. The other half of the pumps may contain other types of petrol. Do you only have 1 pump? Then you may choose which petrol you sell. 

Fuel stickers 

In the EU, all filling station owners must put the same fuel stickers on their pumps (in Dutch). New vehicles have the same sticker showing which fuel to use. This way drivers can easily see which fuel they need in any EU country. 

Comparing fuel prices 

All pump owners in the EU must show a fuel price comparison (in Dutch). You must show a price comparison of the average price per 100 km for: 

  • petrol (gasoline)
  • diesel
  • LPG
  • electricity
  • hydrogen
  • green gas (CNG) 

Biofuels such as biodiesel, bioethanol, or biogas will not be shown in the comparison as their fuel consumption is not determined. 

Organic halogen compounds in fuels 

You may not use, sell, or keep fuels with: 

  • a PCB content of more than 0.5 mg/kg per congener
  • an organic halogen compound content of more than 50 mg/kg 

Please note: The technical requirements in the Netherlands for the organic halogen content of (raw materials for) fuels differ from those in other EU member states. If a (raw material for) fuel is permitted in another EU member state, the Dutch government may only ban its sale in the Netherlands in exceptional cases.

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Questions relating to this article?

Please contact the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, RVO

Selling fuels in the Netherlands | Business.gov.nl