German Finance Minister Hans Eichel is lobbying on international levels to combat rising oil prices but can do little to prevent increases on a national level, a finance ministry spokesman said Friday. "The Finance Minister is lobbying for a limitation of the rise in oil prices in bodies where it makes sense, namely with his international colleagues," Eichel's spokesman Stefan Giffeler told reporters. The comments come amid calls to limit petrol prices, which reached a record high earlier this week. Overnight, crude oil futures traded at an all-time high of more than $60 a barrel. Giffeler said that at previous meeting of the Group of Eight leading nations' finance ministers measures had been agreed to prevent further oil price rises. Officials had called on oil producing countries to increase supply, create more transparency in oil markets and to reduce speculation that might push up prices, Giffeler said. "Rising oil prices are unfortunate for economic growth and tax reasons," Giffeler said, adding that revenues from petrol taxes are falling as petrol prices rise because of falling demand.