Portugal to vote in favour of EC windfall tax on energy company profits
"Portugal supports the European Commission's proposal to create an extraordinary contribution on the profits of fuel companies,"said the Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs.
The Secretary of State for European Affairs has announced that Portugal will vote on Friday in favour of the European Commission’s proposal to create a windfall tax on energy company profits.
Tiago Antunes made this definitive Portuguese position known in the Portuguese parliament, after the PAN MP, Inês Sousa Real, accused the government of opposing the idea of European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen to tax excessive or abusive profits by energy companies.
“There is a factual lapse in your intervention, Portugal supports the European Commission’s proposal to create an extraordinary contribution on the profits of fuel companies,” replied the Secretary of State for European Affairs.
According to Tiago Antunes, “this is the position that the Portuguese government will take on Friday at the extraordinary meeting of the Energy Council of the European Union.
“Portugal is in favour and supports that measure. It is not against nor does it have any resistance”, he stressed.
Last week in New York, the prime minister, António Costa, said that Portugal will support the European Commission’s proposal to tax the extraordinary profits of energy companies by at least 33%.
“There is a proposal now from the European Commission, which will be presented to the [European] Council. Portugal will support the European Commission’s proposal,” António Costa told journalists at Portugal’s permanent mission to the United Nations in New York.
The European Commission’s proposal was announced on 14 September and provides for “a temporary solidarity contribution on the excess profits generated by activities in the oil, gas, coal and refinery sectors” to be collected by member states, with the revenues “redirected to consumers”.
The European Commission’s intention is to introduce a “rate applicable for the calculation of the temporary solidarity contribution, of at least 33%”, which will be “applicable in addition to the normal taxes and charges applicable under the national legislation of a member state”.
