Five EU countries are calling for a windfall tax on oil profits for energy companies. The corresponding letter was sent to the European Commission by German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil together with his colleagues from Austria, Italy, Portugal, and Spain, as reported by dpa and Reuters. Such a measure would signal that EU countries "are united and capable of acting," and would "clearly indicate that those who profit from the consequences of the war (in Iran - ed.) should contribute to alleviating the burden on the population as a whole," dpa quotes the document. Officials reminded that European countries had already introduced a windfall tax for energy companies during the energy crisis in 2022 following the onset of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. "Given the current market distortions and financial constraints, the European Commission should promptly develop a similar pan-European contribution tool based on a solid legal framework," the authors of the letter believe.