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The EU General Court today overturned a ruling by the European Commission stating that Apple should pay 13 billion euros ($14.5 billion) in tax to the Irish government.
The court sided with Apple, and said the EU authority, led by antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager, had failed to show Ireland's tax arrangements with the company were illegal state aid. Today's decision can be appealed.
Both Apple and Ireland appealed the original 2016 ruling, which stated that Apple owed the country over 13 billion euros in tax payments because the arrangements between the two countries were unfair.
In today's ruling, the General Court stated:
"By today's judgement, the General Court annuls the contested decision because the Commission did not succeed in showing to the requisite legal standard that there was an advantage."
#EUGeneralCourt annuls the decision taken by the @EU_Commission regarding the Irish #TaxRulings in favour of @Apple #Apple #EUCommission #StateAid pic.twitter.com/KoF6r1n82S — EU Court of Justice (@EUCourtPress) July 15, 2020
In 2016, Apple CEO Tim Cook called the EC's original decision "total political crap" and said that Apple believed it would be reversed. "The decision is wrong, and it's not based on law or facts, it's based on politics. And I think it's very important that we stand up and say that very loudly," said Cook at the time.
In an emailed statement to Bloomberg, Apple said that it welcomed today's ruling.
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Top Rated Comments
That's one way to look at it.That's what happens when you have all the best lawyers working for ya ?
Another way to look at it, the European Commission is full of ****.
Time to read what actually happened. Ireland liked their relationship with Apple, and was satisfied with the low tax that they paid. It is the EU that didn't like itNo, no, no. Stop right there Ireland.
If you're going to be a hotspot for big corporations due to your attractive tax laws then you don't get to pick and chose when companies like Apple say they don't want to pay.
/EU citizen.
this is devastating news for the EU and just shows that the EU is yet another tax haven. But it was to be expected - the ruling isn't final and the EU will most certainly appeal.This is great news - both for Apple and for Ireland.
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Apple paid 0.05% tax in Ireland and claimed they'd thought that was normal. Regular corporate tax in Ireland is 12.5%. They've been evading taxes left and right and trust me on this: the final court ruling will not be in their favour.Apple never said they didn't want to pay what Ireland asked them in reference to their "attractive tax laws". They always did. They refused to pay what the EU said they should pay as that's not the deal they agreed to.
As for the system, yes if they want them to pay more, change the law.
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Apple never said they didn't want to pay what Ireland asked them in reference to their "attractive tax laws". They always did. They refused to pay what the EU said they should pay as that's not the deal they agreed to.No, no, no. Stop right there Ireland.
If you're going to be a hotspot for big corporations due to your attractive tax laws then you don't get to pick and chose when companies like Apple say they don't want to pay.
The whole system needs rebuilding. Apple and others don't pay enough tax, but politicians aren't changing laws because it means they too can also reap the rewards of not paying tax.
The Panama Papers exposed all that years ago.
As for the system, yes if they want them to pay more, change the law.