Energy: Five EU countries are calling for a tax on windfall profits of energy companies.

Five European Union member states have called for the introduction of an exceptional tax on the profits of energy companies, in order to respond to the surge in prices linked to the conflict with Iran.

The finance ministers of Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Austria have sent a letter to the European Commission defending this measure. According to them, it would help finance temporary aid to consumers and limit the impact of energy inflation.

The signatories believe that companies profiting from rising prices must "do their part" to ease the burden on households and businesses. This initiative also aims to demonstrate a coordinated European response to the crisis.

Since the start of the strikes involving the United States and Iran, oil and gas prices have risen sharply, causing an energy shock comparable to that seen after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

In their letter, the ministers raise the possibility of replicating a mechanism similar to the one put in place in 2022, when the European Union introduced a temporary tax on energy surplus profits.

However, this proposal is not unanimously supported. Industry representatives, particularly in Germany, oppose it, believing that such a measure could hinder investment in the sector.

The European Commission has indicated that it is examining targeted measures in the event of a crisis, without however committing at this stage to the adoption of a new tax.

This debate illustrates the tensions between the need to protect consumers and the desire to preserve energy competitiveness, in a context of strong geopolitical instability.