Apple faces multibillion EU tax bill

[alexw]

Apple's been in Ireland since the 80s, why now?

The terms of these deals were kept secret. It was only fairly recently that the details became public. Moreover if there was nothing to worry about in them why exactly did both Ireland and Apple hide these details from public knowledge?

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I'm ignoring nothing I'm defending Ireland's right to chose its own economic policy

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How are they breaking USA law. The USA is defending Apple here. And the EU is not a country they are a economic union. One of which looks on the verge of breaking down and it's crap like this, imposing their will against that of a nation that is accelerating their break up. Brexit is only the beginning and I'm sure they are watching crap like this and saying thank god were leaving. The British are the first but won't be the last

Utterly clueless.

Ireland signed up to the rules of the EU on joining and one of those rules bars the use of preferential tax rates for specific companies. This is to stop the very sorts of things Ireland did. If Ireland leaves the EU then it no longer has tariff free access to the EU internal market, nor would the laws allowing free movement of capital between Ireland and the EU be in effect. The end result is that if it leaves it would not be able to play the tax games it has been doing. Ergo if they leave they can say goodbye to all the multinationals that set up base there because they exist solely to serve the EU market, so no Ireland in the EU = no multinationals in Ireland.

[Deleted]

Apple's been in Ireland since the 80s, why now?

Apple's business in Europe substantially increased from 2006 onward, so it is possibly the or one of the largest tax evaders in the European Union. A union that has seen more and more unification from 1999 onward, the Irish economical policy has effectively derived the other union members from tax income; which doesn't please them. Understandably so, as Apple leverages a lot of public resources to conducts its business in each individual nation. Sadly, despite it being morally apprehensible, the public remained mostly ignorant of the matter until 2010. There wasn't any significant outrage before 2010 that I can recall; and without public support there's no political will. Besides that, these kind of investigations take an immense amount of work, resources and time, so they aren't approved willy nilly. Approval will take years as will the investigation itself.

So, that's why now. I expect more of these to follow if Apple's appeal is denied or ruled in the European Union their favor.

The terms of these deals were kept secret. It was only fairly recently that the details became public. Moreover if there was nothing to worry about in them why exactly did both Ireland and Apple hide these details from public knowledge?

Didn't even know this. Can't help but wonder how much would've changed if it was public knowledge from the start.

[kail]

I love it. Apple loved globalism and backed Leftist agendas. Now pay up suckers. You earned lmao!

Leftists support tax evasion?