The response received from Brussels translates into a possibility for the Government regarding the hypothesis of taxing the extra profits of oil companies.
The European Commission has clarified that the taxation of windfall profits does not necessarily require a common measure at EU level. In summary: it is something that, possibly, concerns the will of individual member states, which can intervene through a national law.
Extra profits here mean the extraordinary revenues obtained by oil companies during the increase in energy prices along the fuel refining and distribution chains.
The issue had been raised by six European countries (Italy, Germany, Spain, Austria, Poland and Portugal) who had asked for a coordinated measure to redistribute at least part of the extraordinary revenues achieved by the oil sector during the current energy crisis. Now the EU passes the ball to the various national governments and parliaments. In Italy, Elly Schlein, leader of the Democratic Party, has already gone on the attack: “Meloni now has no more alibis,” she declared.
The Commission further explained that States can already use their national tax powers to address costs related to social equity and introduce measures to tax extra profits, also referring to the AccelerateEU communication of 22 April 2026.
Furthermore, the Commission has made it known that it will respect the decisions of individual states, offering assistance and good practices and evaluating the impact of the measures on the single market.
The previous one
In the spring, with the Bills decree, a contribution had already been provided for by energy companies active in the production of electricity and gas.
The extra profits of the eight big companies
Another question concerns the size of the possible intervention. According to a study by Transport & Environment, cited by SkyTg24eight large oil companies produced approximately 7.5 billion euros in extra profits attributable to the European market in the first half of 2026.
The companies considered are Shell, BP, TotalEnergies, Eni, Orlen, Repsol, Omv and Moeve. The overall global estimate is around 17.9 billion euros. According to the study, the 7.495 billion attributable to the EU-27 represents approximately 42% of the global total. The temporal distribution is significant: approximately 1.6 billion would have been generated in the first quarter, while another 5.9 billion in the second quarter, the first entirely affected by the conflict.
The risks
A tax on extra profits would have effects on public revenues, but also on the oil supply chain.
Given that Europe depends on oil imports, a particularly heavy tax on refining profits could have consequences on product availability. The point for the Government, should it intend to intervene, would be to find a balance between tax revenue, support for families and businesses and security of supplies.
Schlein: “Meloni and Giorgetti have no alibi”
Brussels’ response has given new space to the opposition, which for weeks has been asking the Government to intervene on extra profits. This is what the leader of the PD, Elly Schlein, commented:
Meloni and Giorgetti have no alibis. Get a move on and take action. The energy crisis hits families and businesses hard. Buffer measures and time extensions are no longer enough. We need robust support measures, which particularly help the most exposed and fragile.
Tajani is open to discussion with the companies
In the majority, the deputy prime minister and foreign minister Antonio Tajani opened up to the possibility of an agreement with the oil companies:
We can talk to oil companies and find agreements that allow these companies to help our economy.
