--- title: "Six EU Countries Seek Tax on Oil Company Windfall Profits" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/business/six-eu-countries-seek-tax-on-oil-company-windfall-profits" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/six-eu-countries-seek-tax-on-oil-company-windfall-profits" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/business/six-eu-countries-seek-tax-on-oil-company-windfall-profits.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/six-eu-countries-seek-tax-on-oil-company-windfall-profits" category: "Business & Economy" area: "Middle East" published: "2026-08-22T19:05:11.819Z" source_reported: "2026-08-22T18:29:53.515Z" updated: "2026-08-22T19:05:11.819Z" trust_score: 60 critic_score: 65 hype_score: 45 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-22T19:49:49.422Z" --- # Six EU Countries Seek Tax on Oil Company Windfall Profits *Ministers propose placing the issue on the agenda for an upcoming EU finance ministers' meeting.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 60 of 100, higher is better. Central claim attributed to named bodies, with two independent outlets and a document cited. - Craft 65 of 100, higher is better. The reader is told why this matters and who is affected, with specific figures and dates. - Hype 45 of 100, lower is better. The headline promises a tax, but the article details a request for discussion. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Six EU countries have jointly called for a tax on the exceptional profits of oil companies. - The request was made in a letter to the Irish minister holding the EU presidency. - Ministers argue that oil companies' current profitability exceeds the rise in crude oil prices. - The countries want the issue added to the agenda for a meeting of EU finance ministers. Six member states of the European Union have requested the introduction of an EU-wide tax on the exceptional profits of oil companies. The countries include Germany, Italy, Austria, Poland, Portugal, and Spain. They sent a joint letter to the Irish minister currently holding the rotating EU presidency, asking for the matter to be placed on the agenda for a meeting of EU finance ministers scheduled for next month. The ministers stated in their letter that oil companies are currently experiencing profitability and margins on refined products that exceed the increase in crude oil prices. They highlighted that the situation is occurring amidst one of the largest supply shocks in decades, leading to growing global discontent over the rising cost of living. ## Disagreement on the cause of increased profits The letter from the six EU countries states that oil companies are experiencing profitability and margins that exceed the rise in crude oil prices. Digi 24, in its full report, quotes a source from the German Finance Ministry stating that 'excessive crisis-related profits must be returned to consumers'. La Stampa, in its full report, notes that the war in Iran is presenting a bill to Europe, and that oil companies are beneficiaries of the surge in energy prices and increased margins caused by the crisis. However, the digests from Il Sole 24 Ore, ANSA, El Debate, El Mundo, and Le Figaro do not specify the cause of the increased profits, only that the companies are experiencing them. ## What the coverage left out None of the centre or right-rated digests mention the specific figure of $11.2 billion in profits that TotalEnergies raised in the first half of the year, as reported by La Tribune, an unrated outlet. The digests from the centre and right-rated outlets also do not mention the specific detail that the ministers are requesting the issue be placed on the agenda for a meeting of EU finance ministers next month, a fact present in the full report from Digi 24 and mentioned in the ANSA digest. ## Who covered it Shares of the 9 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 22% (2) - Centre: 34% (3) - Right: 44% (4) 2 of 11 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-22T19:49:49.422Z. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 5 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-22T20:15:18.974Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - La Stampa, the sole left-rated report, led with the demand for a tax on exceptional profits, framing it as a necessity so that 'the crisis does not pay for citizens and businesses'. The report highlighted that the initiative originated from Berlin, with German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil signing the letter. It detailed how the proposed tax would aim to recover a portion of the exceptional gains produced by the crisis to alleviate the energy burden on citizens and companies. La Stampa also noted that the EU had previously introduced a temporary solidarity contribution on excess profits following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, suggesting a precedent for the current proposal. The report quoted Augusta Montaruli, Vice-Group Leader of Fratelli d’Italia at the Chamber of Deputies, who supported the call for a community taxation of extra-profits to curb petrol prices. ### Centre - The centre-rated reports from Digi 24, ANSA, and La Libre focused on the core news that six EU countries are calling for a tax on exceptional profits of oil companies. Digi 24, in its full report, provided more detail, stating that the companies' profitability and margins exceed the rise in crude oil prices and that the request was made in a letter to the Irish minister holding the EU presidency. It also mentioned that the ministers want the issue placed on the agenda for a finance ministers' meeting. ANSA and La Libre, in their digests, also conveyed the main point of the six countries' request. La Libre's digest noted that the rise in energy prices could lead to a tax battle within the EU, with member states still divided on the subject. ### Right - The right-rated reports from Il Sole 24 Ore, El Debate, El Mundo, and Le Figaro all highlighted that six EU countries, including Italy and Spain, are demanding a tax on the exceptional profits of oil companies. El Debate's headline specifically mentioned Spain and five other EU countries advocating for an extraordinary tax on energy companies. Le Figaro's digest quoted the letter stating that 'oil companies benefit from overall profitability and margins on refined products which exceed the rise in crude oil prices'. El Mundo's digest also mentioned that the profits stem from the war in the Middle East. Il Sole 24 Ore's digest confirmed Italy's participation in the call for the tax. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - high: 6 - unknown: 3 - veryHigh: 2 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [ORF.at News](https://orf.at/stories/3439910) — Teurer Sprit: New Call for EU over-Profit Tax - [Il Sole 24 Ore](https://ilsole24ore.com/art/sei-paesi-ue-chiedono-tassa-extraprofitti-compagnie-petrolifere-anche-l-italia-AJshsKs) — Six EU Countries Demand Tax on Extra-Profit Oil Companies: Also Italy - [ANSA](https://ansa.it/sito/notizie/topnews/2026/08/22/sei-paesi-ue-chiedono-tassa-su-extraprofitti-compagnie-petrolifere-anche-litalia_19935ede-e715-4432-8561-90de00e522c3.html) — Six EU Countries Demand Tax on Extra Profit Oil Companies, Even Italy - [Hot News](https://hotnews.ro/sase-state-membre-ue-cer-taxarea-profiturilor-exceptionale-facute-de-companiile-petroliere-ca-urmare-a-razboiului-din-orientul-mijlociu-2330990) — EU Cer Taxarea Profiturilor Exceptionționale Făcute De Companiile Petroliere Ca Urmare a Războiului Din Orientul Mijlociu - HotNews.ro - [El Debate](https://eldebate.com/economia/20260822/espana-cinco-paises-ue-abogan-imponer-impuesto-extraordinario-empresas-energeticas_451486.html) — Spain and Five More EU Countries Advocate Imposing an Extraordinary Tax on Energy Companies - [Digi 24](https://digi24.ro/stiri/externe/ue/sase-tari-ue-cer-taxarea-profiturilor-exceptionale-facute-de-companiile-petroliere-ca-urmare-a-razboiului-din-orientul-mijlociu-3917209) — Six EU Countries Call for Exceptional Profits to Be Taxed by Oil Companies as a Result of the Middle East War - [La Libre](https://lalibre.be/economie/conjoncture/2026/08/22/guerre-au-moyen-orient-six-pays-de-lue-veulent-taxer-les-benefices-exceptionnels-des-compagnies-petrolieres-DQ7GJGQ6KFA4TL2JIYHZ5UCL4M) — War in the Middle East: Six EU Countries Want to Tax Oil Companies' "Exceptional Profits" - [La Tribune](https://latribune.fr/article/entreprises-finance/energie-environnement/86755061142142/six-pays-de-l-ue-veulent-faire-payer-les-petroliers-apres-le-choc-du-detroit-d-ormuz) — Six EU Countries Want to Charge Oil Tankers After the Ormuz Strait Shock - [El Mundo](https://elmundo.es/economia/2026/08/22/6a89c357fc6c838d568b457a.html) — Six EU Countries Call for an Extraordinary Tax on Companies in the Energy Sector - [Le Figaro](https://lefigaro.fr/conjoncture/six-pays-de-l-ue-dont-l-allemagne-reclament-une-taxe-exceptionnelle-sur-les-compagnies-petrolieres-20260822) — Six EU Countries, Including Germany, Demand an Exceptional Tax on Oil Companies - [La Stampa](https://lastampa.it/economia/2026/08/22/news/petrolio_sei_paesi_ue_chiedono_la_tassa_sugli_extraprofitti_la_crisi_non_la_paghino_cittadini_e_imprese-15719980) — Oil, Six EU Countries Demand the Tax on Extra-Profits: "The Crisis Does Not Pay for Citizens and Businesses" ## Questions **Which EU countries are calling for a tax on oil company profits?** Six EU countries have called for a tax on the exceptional profits of oil companies. These countries are Germany, Italy, Austria, Poland, Portugal, and Spain. They have sent a joint letter to the Irish minister holding the EU presidency to request this measure. **Why are these countries proposing a tax on oil companies?** The ministers argue that oil companies are experiencing profitability and margins that exceed the rise in crude oil prices. They believe these companies are benefiting from the current supply shock and the resulting increase in the cost of living, and that these exceptional profits should be taxed. **What is the next step for this proposal?** The six countries want the issue of taxing exceptional oil company profits to be placed on the agenda for a meeting of EU finance ministers. This meeting is scheduled to take place next month in Dublin. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/business/six-eu-countries-seek-tax-on-oil-company-windfall-profits. 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