Ireland appeals Brussels by 13,000 million charged to Apple – euronews

last update: 09/02/2016

Euronews

the Irish government will appeal the decision of Brussels claim Apple 13.000 million euros in unpaid taxes in the country that are considered covert aid. Although this money has to go to the Irish coffers, its Executive fears that the decision affects their tax appeal with a corporate tax much lower than in the rest of the European Union. The Council of Ministers agreed to submit a motion in Parliament Wednesday to validate the appeal.

“People of Ireland is very pro-European,” said Minister of Health of Fine Gael, Simon Harris. “I do not accept that a European bureaucrat unelected tell them how it should be our business environment.”

But the Fine Gael center-right has to govern in coalition with Fianna Fail left center and a independent minority group, which has forced a study on the subject.

“Apple should have paid the money,” Minister of Innovation, an independent, John Halligan is more cautious. “But I do not think the government should be destabilized. There are more important things like the budget. We ‘brexit’ and I think the Independent Alliance has achieved a good agreement. For the first time, there will be an independent study on what they pay multinationals and whether it is fair “.

In the Irish position and the angry reaction pattern of Apple, Tim Cook, the European Commission continues to remind his accusation is correct and that the US technology giant paid only for example in 2014 0.005 percent of its profits generated across Europe but declared in one of his instrumentals headquarters of Ireland.

Thanks to a corporate tax only 12.5 percent, the multinationals in Ireland employing up to 170,000 people in the country. It is representing ten percent of the workforce. In the case of Apple, represent five thousand people. But on the other hand, 13,000 million euros mean five percent of its gross domestic product and almost all of its budget on health. At one point, moreover, that the Irish had to make a great sacrifice in their pockets before the international bailout.