Federal Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten wants the energy sector to pay a one-off crisis contribution of 25% on excess profits, she announced in the Parliamentary Commission on Energy, Environment and Climate.
Van der Straeten proposed to ask all gas and electricity companies and all petroleum traders for a one-off crisis contribution of 25% of the surplus profits.
"My proposal is to follow the Italian example and levy a special tax equal to 25% of the increase in gross margin as shown in the periodic VAT returns filed for the period from 1 January to 31 December this year," she said.
Specifically, Van der Straeten takes the difference in the gross profit margin for the period from 1 January to 31 December this year compared with the profit margin for the same period last year.
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The tax would be calculated per quarter and would only be imposed if the increase in a quarter was at least €100,000 in nominal terms and more than 10% in percentage terms.
"The special tax is technology-neutral and applies to electricity and natural gas companies known to the four regulators and to registered petroleum traders who report to the Federal Public Economy Service," Van der Straeten added.
On Twitter, she added that nobody should enrich themselves from the energy crisis. "Not the government, not the energy sector. That is my starting point yesterday, today and tomorrow. The Federal Government has already released €4 billion and returned VAT surpluses."
"Exceptional times call for exceptional measures. My crisis contribution proposal has been presented to parliament and was received positively," Van der Straeten added.
The details of the proposal are now being worked out with Federal Finance Minister Vincent Van Peteghem, and will be discussed during the Government's budget talks after the summer.
