EU rules Apple Inc. must pay US$14.5B in back taxes
by The Associated Press
The ruling states Apple's lavish tax breaks in Ireland resulted in a 0.0005 per cent corporate tax rate on European profits in 2014
Ireland, which piled tax breaks on the iPhone maker, is considering whether it will appeal the EU Commission’s ruling. PHOTO: Apple
EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said Tuesday: “Member states cannot give tax benefits to selected companies—this is illegal under EU state aid rules.”
She said a three-year investigation found Ireland granted such lavish tax breaks to Apple over many years that the multinational’s effective corporate tax rate on its European profits dropped from 1 per cent in 2003 to a mere 0.0005 per cent in 2014.
The Commission said “Ireland must now recover the unpaid taxes in Ireland from Apple for the years 2003 to 2014 of up to 13 billion euros ($14.5 billion), plus interest.”
The Irish government denied granting favourable fiscal treatment to the maker of the iPhone and other consumer electronics products, computer software and online services. “Ireland’s position remains that the full amount of tax was paid in this case and no state aid was provided,” the Irish statement said. “Ireland does not do deals with taxpayers.”
The Irish finance minister, Michael Noonan, said he would seek approval from the Irish Cabinet to appeal the EU Commission’s ruling to European courts.
“It is important that we send a strong message that Ireland remains an attractive and stable location of choice for long-term substantive investment,” Noonan said. “Apple has been in Ireland since the 1980s and employs thousands of people in Cork.”
