Brussels, 03/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - Thirteen big industrial companies from Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, France and the Czech Republic, like energy giants RWE and E.on, CEZ, OMV, financial companies ING and Aegon, French insurance company AXA and Deutsche Telekom, have called on the European Commission to sanction Hungary, which they accuse of taking anti-competitive measures, reports German newspaper Die Welt. In a five-page letter sent to the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, on 15 December the heads of the companies accuse Hungary of levying special, discriminatory taxes on them that are not levied on other industries. The Commission had already started investigating the matter, explained a Commission spokesperson on Monday 3 January. The vice-president of the Commission and EU Telecoms Commissioner, Neelie Kroes, sent Hungary a letter on 22 October asking for information about the new Hungarian tax law passed on 20 October that levies a three-year special economic crisis tax on three industries, telecoms, energy and retail trade. Hungary responded to the Commission on 17 December and the Commission is examining its answer, along with the grievances expressed by the 13 companies in their joint letter. The spokesperson said that the current investigation did not prejudge in any way the opening of formal investigations by the Commission. The 13 companies say that Hungary is issuing unfair financial millstones and Deutsche Telekom estimates that it has already cost its Hungarian subsidiary Magyar Telekom some €100 million in extra tax (in 2010). The companies say that the tax will net the Hungarian state at least €1.3 billion. (I.L./transl.fl)