Commissioner for Climate Action Wopke Hoekstra, in a written answer on 16 June 2026, reaffirmed the EU's commitment to diversifying energy supplies and phasing out Russian fossil fuels, rejecting any reversal of that strategy even as the Iran conflict drives energy price spikes. The answer, responding to a question from MEP Fabio De Masi (NI), signals that the Commission will not reintroduce EU-level windfall profit taxes, leaving such measures to member states.
Hoekstra was replying to a parliamentary question submitted on 10 March 2026, in which De Masi cited a Bruegel analysis warning that disruption of LNG shipments through the Strait of Hormuz could trigger further price shocks, and asked whether the Commission would reconsider ending Russian energy supplies. On the first question, Hoekstra noted that direct taxation of excess profits falls under member state competence, and that the EU's temporary solidarity contribution (Council Regulation 2022/1854) was an emergency measure for the 2022-2023 crisis, not a permanent tool. On the second, he stated that abandoning the diversification and decarbonisation path would make the EU "more dependent, more vulnerable and weaker."
The answer contains no new legislative proposals or numerical targets, instead reiterating existing policy. Hoekstra pointed to updated guidance published on 18 March 2026 on the REPowerEU Gas Regulation, aimed at easing barriers to non-Russian gas imports. The Commission's stance suggests it will rely on member state-level tax measures and continued diversification efforts, rather than new EU-wide emergency instruments, to manage potential energy price shocks from the Iran conflict.
EU energy companies face continued uncertainty over potential national windfall taxes, while EU consumers and businesses remain exposed to global price volatility without a new EU-level price buffer. The Commission's refusal to reconsider the Russian phase-out supports EU energy security goals but may increase short-term costs for import-dependent member states.