Although German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) has pushed for an EU-wide “windfall tax” on oil companies, the demand is not currently a unified position within the cabinet. Government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius stated on Monday to the dts news agency, “This position is not united within the Federal Government.”
However, a spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of Finance noted that, in response to inquiry, the review of a European windfall tax was decided upon within the framework of the Coalition Committee back in April. Regarding Klingbeil’s current initiative, the spokeswoman added that discussions are taking place “in principle with all member states.” The specific countries currently involved in this push include Germany, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Poland.
Klingbeil launched this initiative alongside the finance ministers of other nations as a response to the soaring pump prices. A joint letter addressed to the Irish Finance Minister, who currently holds the EU Council presidency, highlighted the gravity of the situation: “We are experiencing one of the biggest supply shocks in decades.” The ministers emphasize that a joint approach is required to alleviate the financial burden on citizens. They are calling for a discussion of a comprehensive EU-level framework to tax excessive profits, asserting that they must address high energy prices through this means.
