Apple, on Ireland and taxes: “We are an easy target because we generate many headlines” – Hypertext

Has been one of the most important topics in the fiscal agenda of the European Union and, above all, one of the most important of the year with regard to the relationship between american companies and their headquarters to tax in the European Union, the tax rate half the tax of society and different fiscal pressures among the member countries: the relationship between fiscal between Apple, Ireland and the EU.

The debate, although busy for a few headlines that stood out the 14,000 million euros, which the EU claimed the tax irish by, supposedly, to grant a number of tax privileges, they were going beyond the low fiscal pressure that Ireland had on the companies that operate in that country, opening the debate on the fiscal autonomy of the States and, above all, of the discrepancies tax generated by such autonomy. At a time in addition in which the tax harmonization in the EU was part of the conversations.

Be that as it may, both the irish Government and Apple have decided that, effectively, the tax obligations between the company from Cupertino and the state irish were current, and that at all times had been fulfilled with the strictest legality in regard to the payment of taxes. Tim Cook wrote a letter to its customers in the which highlighted the special relevance the fact that the European Commission was not pronouncing on whether Apple was paying a few or a lot of taxes, but about what the Government collected that money, and on the fiscal autonomy of the latter.

From the outside, the issue seemed to be more a call of attention from the media and policy at the Apple that’s a matter of harmony and tax receipts. One way to make Apple pay the duck for 15 desarmonización tax in the European Union and the promotion of foreign investments promoted by the low-tax countries compared to the rest.

“The Commission has never clearly explained his theory on State aid that underpins the research” – Michael Noonan, irish minister of Finance.

The episode between the irish Government and the EU has not stopped since then, and accusations and allegations by the crusaders, the irish are still targeting in that matter has particular gravity because it considers that the Commission has incorrectly applied the state aid that Ireland has with their companies, and above all, that the interference of the Commission represents an incorrect application of the principle of full competition that Ireland has with their companies.

“Ireland has not given a tax treatment favorable to Apple. Taxes were paid in full and not be provided state aid. Ireland does not reach agreements with taxpayers”

The bottom line is that, according to the irish Government, the Commission has exceeded its powers and has interfered with national fiscal sovereignty of Ireland, putting therefore shown again, that the case is not so much in Apple and in the way that this company complies with the tax obligations,

but in the manner in which the Commission does not agree with these tax rules. And on the same subject has been pronounced one of the directors of the company:

“Apple is an easy target because it generates a lot of headlines” – Bruce Sewel, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Apple.

Be that as it may, both Apple and Ireland will appeal the decision of the Commission, in view of the more political that a prosecutor is taking the case.