Following the European Commission's ruling that Apple must pay 13 billion euros ($14.5 billion) in back taxes because of its "undue tax benefits" in Ireland, The Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend that Apple is facing the EC "without the army of lobbyists and public relations campaigners typical in such fights."

The company's lack of a lobbying presence in Europe isn't new, however, as it spent less than €900,000 lobbying European institutions in 2015. According to public filings, in total Apple "doesn't employ any full-time lobbyists" in Brussels, and only five people work part-time. In contrast, Google spent "at least" €4.25 million in 2015, and employs more than ten people in lobbying positions in the European capital.

brussels_hero

Apple's retail location in Brussels

Sources familiar with the matter stated that Apple's "lack of a presence in the EU capital" led to it being unsuccessful in gathering information over the past few years about the impending tax evasion ruling from the European Commission. Still, a source close to the commission's competition office theorized that a heavier lobbying presence might not have been all that helpful for Apple in the end, since the lobbying tactics of a company like Google have not gotten it out of "many antitrust investigations" over the past few years.

Google’s experience with the commission’s many antitrust investigations over the years may suggest a bigger Apple lobbying presence in Brussels wouldn’t have had a meaningful impact on the regulator’s decision.

People familiar with the directorate say there is limited leeway for influencing the outcome of any competition investigation. The regulator can’t stray too far from previous case law in its decisions to ensure the ruling is upheld in court when the companies inevitably appeal it.

Still, “I don’t know what [Apple] would have done differently,” said a person close to the commission’s competition office. “It’s not a question of behavior; it’s a question of what’s in the numbers and what’s on the table.”

Many other America-based companies have a large presence in Europe, including Alphabet and Amazon, "which have built a European lobbying presence to try to sway investigations and potential legislation." The two companies have also tried to advertise the benefits that Europe gains from their presence, with Google launching a digital journalism initiative and Amazon highlighting its storefronts that facilitate the livelihood of small European businesses.

On the Apple side of things, Tim Cook has called the EC's ruling "total political crap" and described the lower end 0.005% tax rate as a "false number." Ultimately, the Apple CEO believes that the decision will be reversed, and most recently Ireland's coalition government agreed to appeal the ruling. Cook has stated that he has "faith in humanity" and "faith in what is just and right will occur."

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Top Rated Comments

iLondoner Avatar
118 months ago
I have a large investment in Apple shares so I'm clearly disappointed with any news that adversely affects Apple.

However as a European I am dismayed at the way that Luxembourg, Netherlands and Ireland have cheated their fellow EU members by offering low tax regimes. These have encouraged US companies such as Apple, HP, Dell, Starbucks, eBay, Amazon, Google (and the list goes on and on) to dishonestly book their sales not in the country where they were made, but in the low-tax haven.

The UK has lost billions in lost tax over the last decade or more.

A sign in a local independent bookstore proudly states that it has paid more tax in the UK than the whole of Amazon.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
captain kaos Avatar
118 months ago
Come over to the UK, we're getting out of this EU mess.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Zarniwoop Avatar
118 months ago
Why is Ireland (and Apple) being punished for such an arrangement?
Because it is clearly stated in the EU common rules, and Ireland has agreed to follow them. Rules that state for example that giving any enterprise a special tax regime is illegal state aid. Ireland is abusing the system and driving profits from other states. You cannot join to 500 million people common market without rules.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rp2011 Avatar
118 months ago
Lobbying? Just pay your taxes!

I love Apple but their shady tax dealings are shady tax dealings.

Exxon previously the most profitable company world wide has incredibly shady tax dealings and even gets subsidies from the US via lobbyists.
Legal?
Yeah!
Because of lobbyists?
Yeah!
Shady corrupt politicians?
Hell yeah!!

Does that make it right?
**** no!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Stella Avatar
118 months ago
I would like to avoid using them all. The government enforced monopoly makes that difficult. People should pay for things that they use. Not have their money stolen and reappropriated by a government who thinks they know how to spend money better. They don't.
[doublepost=1474923602][/doublepost]

Private markets.
^

I'd hate to live in your world.. if you can't afford it, you don't get educated, die prematurely etc, where absolutely everything is about profits.

Fortunately.. there's "society" where we all contribute - to schools, healthcare, infrastructure and the rest for the benefits of everyone.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macfacts Avatar
118 months ago
I don't see how what happened in Ireland is any different from what legally happens all the time in the US. For instance, I live in a town that wanted to bring in a Target distribution facility. Target is worth billions, but in order to get them to choose our town, the Mayor and City Council offered Target a 20-year tax abatement. So a corporation with billions to spend wouldn't have to pay any taxes to the town for the first decade, and then pay minimal taxes for the next ten years. Meanwhile, property taxes for residents continued to increase. (Target eventually decided not to build there.) This seems to be a common practice with big businesses. In order to attract them, cities hold a carrot in the form of lower taxes. Why is Ireland (and Apple) being punished for such an arrangement?
1. When you steal something and have to return it, that is not punishment. Apple or Ireland has not been fined yet. Having to pay taxes owed is not punishment.

2. What is legal in the States might not be legal in the EU.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iPhone 16 Pro Max 80% Charge Limit: One Year Later, Was It Worth It?

Wednesday September 24, 2025 3:58 pm PDT by
With the iPhone 15 series, I did an experiment and kept my iPhone's Charge Limit set at 80 percent for an entire year. It provided an interesting look at the impact of charge limits on battery longevity, so I decided to repeat it for the iPhone 16 line. Since September 2024, my iPhone 16 Pro Max has been limited to an 80 percent charge, with no cheating. As of today, my battery's maximum...
Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Thursday September 25, 2025 1:11 pm PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system codenamed "Charismatic," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple smart home hub concept based on rumors This is likely Apple's long-rumored "homeOS" operating system. In a report last month, Gurman said both Apple's rumored smart home hub in 2026 and tabletop robot in 2027 will run the new operating system. He said the software platform ...
AirPods Pro 3 Newsroom

Apple's 'Back to School' Offer Ends Soon, Now Applies to AirPods Pro 3

Wednesday September 24, 2025 7:20 am PDT by
Apple's annual "Back to School" promotion for students ends soon, so act fast if you want to score free AirPods with the purchase of an eligible new Mac or iPad. Until Tuesday, September 30, college students and qualifying educational staff in the U.S. can receive free AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation when they purchase an eligible new Mac or iPad from Apple. This is a $179 value. ...
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

Skipped the iPhone 17 Pro? Here's What is Rumored for iPhone 18 Pro

Tuesday September 23, 2025 8:55 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still a year away, there are already a few rumors about the devices that offer an early look ahead. Below, we have recapped some of the early iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. This story was published previously, and it has been updated to reflect the latest rumors. Many early rumors prove to be true, but nothing is confirmed yet, and Apple's...
apple tv 4k new orange

Next Apple TV Expected to Launch This Year With These New Features

Monday September 22, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
The next Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Likely Features N1 Chip With Wi-Fi 7 Last year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the next Apple TV would be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, which is...
iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.1 Beta 1

Monday September 22, 2025 12:44 pm PDT by
Apple released the first beta of iOS 26.1 today, just a week after launching iOS 26. iOS 26.1 mainly adds new languages to Apple Intelligence, but there are a few other features that are worth knowing about. New Apple Intelligence Languages Apple Intelligence is now available in Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. AirPo...
Apple More Personal Siri Ad

Apple Responds to U.S. Class Action Lawsuit Over Delayed Siri Features

Friday September 26, 2025 6:57 am PDT by
In March, Apple delayed the launch of its personalized Siri features, and soon after the company was hit with multiple class action lawsuits over the situation. The plaintiffs said they never would have purchased an iPhone 16, or would have paid less, had they known Apple's marketing about the Siri features was false. In the U.S., all of the complaints were consolidated into one class...
50 New Features and Changes Worth Checking Out in macOS Tahoe

50 New macOS Tahoe Features and Changes Worth Checking Out

Wednesday September 24, 2025 8:43 am PDT by
Apple this month released macOS Tahoe, the latest version of the company's Mac operating system. ‌macOS Tahoe 26 adopts Apple's new Liquid Glass design along with new customizations, a new Phone app, and updated capabilities across the platform. In this article, we've selected 50 new features and lesser-known changes that are worth checking out if you're upgrading. What do you think of...