In the wake of the conflict in Iran and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the world is once again facing an acute energy crisis. Governments are scrambling to craft emergency responses — under far tight fiscal constraints, with mounting pressure from soaring energy costs, and a stark reminder that the transition itself is the long-term answer to this vulnerability.

Among the hard lessons of 2022 looms one glaring failure: the taxation of windfall profits. Energy companies reaped billions during that crisis, yet collective efforts to claw back a fair share fell dramatically short. In France, the windfall tax on oil and gas companies yielded a mere €60 million, while the broader levy on energy producers brought in around €600 million a fraction of the profits at stake, partly due to aggressive tax avoidance strategies that exposed the limits of hastily designed fiscal tools.

What did we learn ? Is it the same this time ? Could we do better ?

This webinar will explore how extractive multinational enterprises allocate windfall profits and how governments can design smarter, faster, and more effective fiscal responses to energy windfalls, balancing crisis urgency, public finance needs, and the demands of the green transition.

We will welcome :

• Ninon Moreau-Kastler, Research Fellow at the International Tax Observatory
• Gregor Semieniuk, Associate Professor in the School of Public Policy and Department of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst
• Bastien Gebel, Policy Officer at Transport & Environment

The webinar wil be hosted by Madeleine Péron, head of program at the Veblen Institute for economic reforms.

Register here, you will receive the link to the webinar shortly before it starts.