Apple should pay €13B Irish tax, argues EU lawyer

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-67367101

by thunderbong • 3 years ago

32 9 3 years ago

I guess the EU has difficulty understanding the difference between giving and taking.

I doubt this will really go anywhere. At the end of the day, it's actually in the EU's interest to make it easy and desirable for US megacorps to set themselves up there. €13B is nothing in the grand scheme of trade. That's why the EU are saying "should", not "must". It suits them to palm the heat off on a small country there, so most people can be sort of indignant about it but still feel like it's a foreign country's problem.

kramerger2• 3 years ago

At the end of the day, it's actually in the EU's interest to make it easy and desirable for US megacorps to set themselves

Why? They don't pay taxes, so what's in it for the country to keep them around?

In fact, when you think about it... they force out local companies in the same segment that actually do pay their taxes.

s1artibartfast2• 3 years ago

The purpose of government isnt to collect taxes, it is to benefit the citizens. Apple operations in Ireland might not pay as much taxes, but still benefit the people employed. Furthermore, employees do pay taxes.

Even further, it is not a given that Apple forced out valuable local companies that have anywhere near the same value. It is not like there was an apple scale technology company in Ireland that was displaced or run out of business.

musicale2• 3 years ago

"{whoever} should really be paying lower taxes." -no tax authority, ever

kramerger2• 3 years ago

This is exactly what Ireland did, creating a tax haven inside the EU.

Apple should pay €13B Irish tax, argues EU lawyer

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