'A marathon, not a sprint': European Commission says the fight over Apple tax and Ireland isn't over
Margrethe Vestager has said the EU would analyse yesterday’s judgement before deciding on an appeal.
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Margrethe Vestager has said the EU would analyse yesterday’s judgement before deciding on an appeal.
Officials are already exploring the possibility of using a Treaty article to crack down on low-tax countries.
The European Commission previously ordered the US company to hand back €13 billion in unpaid tax.
Whoever loses is likely to appeal that decision to a higher EU court.
The fund is to be held in escrow until the outcome of legal challenges to the European Commission’s landmark ruling in 2016.
The government has already spent over €7 million in legal fees and other costs preparing the case.
The appeal is due before the Court of Justice of the European Union.
A letter from John Bruton to Alan Dukes has been released to the national archives.
Ireland is appealing the EU Commission that Apple was in receipt of illegal state aid.
Just in time for the weekend and all.
The money will be held in an escrow account subject to an appeal by Ireland.
Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said that the cash will “be transmitted across the first quarter of next year”.
Collecting the money requires a “bespoke solution”, a top official said.
The European Commission announced last week that it is taking Ireland to the European Court of Justice for failing to recover €13 billion of tax due from Apple.
The government said it is “extremely disappointed” by the move.
The government has spent €1.7m on legal fees this year alone.
The State is appealing the bill but will still need to collect the money first.
The tech giant has been ordered to hand over the huge sum for illegal state aid.
But European officials said the unsolicited report from PwC ‘misinterpreted’ the relevant rules.
Margrethe Vestager added the deadline for Apple to deposit money into an escrow account has passed.
Cook was invited to speak before the Oireachtas Finance Committee.
Today the EC will publish the legal rationale for the €13 billion penalty for unpaid taxes it applied to Apple at the end of August.
Sinn Féin’s David Cullinane said Revenue chief Niall Cody’s appearance at the PAC raised more questions than answers.
Late last week, 185 American CEOs asked German chancellor Angela Merkel to intervene in Vestager’s €13 billion Apple tax ruling.
Earlier, Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes said: “Changing the rules, however appalling [they are], is not smart.”
The Taoiseach has also given his thoughts on THAT John Halligan interview.
FactCheck looks into a set a claims made over the airwaves and in the Dáil in the past week.
The party is having a pop at the government over the Apple tax appeal.
The Taoiseach said it’s not true Apple was provided with more favourable treatment than others companies in terms of taxes.
Sweetheart deals are “not the way we do business here,” he said.
TDs are back in the Dáil today to discuss the government’s decision to appeal the European Commission’s Apple tax ruling.
Jean-Claude Juncker has defended the decision after attacks from the US
The company’s CEO Tim Cook made the claim this week, and Michael Noonan repeated it. We checked it out.
The Fianna Fáil leader says “certainty” around Ireland’s tax policy is vital.
Voting and sound systems within the Dáil chamber have to be upgraded.
Members of the Independent Alliance said it would back the appeal in order to keep the government in power.
The Dáil will be recalled next to vote on the Government’s decision to appeal the Apple ruling.
Carver John Hayes is hard at work.
We heard all kinds of numbers from several politicians this week. FactCheck gets to the truth.
The Apple CEO has come out swinging since yesterday’s decision by the EC to bill his company €13 billion for unpaid Irish taxes.