Apple and the Irish government were incensed when the European Commission initiated legal proceedings in 2016, citing the EU member state’s illegal aid to Apple over an 11-year period through preferential tax base accords.
During that period, Ireland’s corporation tax rate was 12.5%, which was among the lowest in the western world. This helped the country draw in top US IT companies and much-needed jobs.
Through a series of legal challenges, Apple resisted the commission’s attempts to exact a backdated payout, but the EU’s top court said its decision.
Apple released a statement saying, “We are disappointed with today’s decision as previously the General Court reviewed the facts and categorically annulled this case.”
Speaking at the most recent conference where the business disclosed its forays into artificial intelligence was Apple CEO Tim Cook. Picture: AP1:58
The response limited the significance of the ruling to “historical” aspects, pointing out that since the commission order in 2016, the nation has modified its tax laws to comply with international agreements, changed its regulations regarding corporate residence, and attributed profits to branches of non-resident businesses operating in the state.
