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Apple files appeal against tax bill

by on21 February 2017


A long rant as to why it is “special” and the EU smells of nintendo


The fruity tax-dodging cargo-cult Apple has sent a 14 point legal rant to the EU claiming it is special and does not have to pay tax like everyone else.

The Tame Apple Press has breathlessly emphasised that the appeal must have legs because Apple has defeated the EU’s tax inspectors in 14 points. After all if it only had a couple of reasons not to pay tax it might lose, but 14 is such a big number.

Coincidently 14 is also the number of billion Euro that the EU wants Apple to pay so we think that this number was chosen for PR reasons.

The main reason is that the Apple’s Cork, Ireland, headquarters of Apple's European wing was properly set up, in accordance with all regulations and laws. So nothing new here just the same recycled excuses.

Other points are that the EU could not add the numbers up properly, which the Tame Apple Press call “accounting blunders”. However, these “blunders” are actually the EU applying income to the Irish Office which Apple says it should be applied to other areas of Apple’s organisation. Rather than being a blunder it is one of the ways that Apple dodged tax, which the EU wants to close.

Apple also points out that drawing comparisons to other tax arrangements in the EU with other multi-national companies is improper, as the facts and laws differ from agreement to agreement. As such, Apple argues that their use in a legal battle about taxes is inappropriate and unfairly prejudicial to Apple.

It also complains that Apple was not given the opportunity for a proper defence, was not allowed to present sufficient evidence to defend itself, and the small amount of expert opinions that Apple could bring to bear prior to the decision were ignored and rejected by the European Commission out of hand while making the decision.

Apple is seeking a complete annulment of the decision mandating the $14 billion payout, and is threatening that it will insist that the EU pay its legal costs for daring to suggest otherwise.

So in other words Apple thinks that paying 0.005 percent tax in 2014 and one percent in 2003 is perfectly ok. It was also right for Ireland to subsidise Apple with "illegal tax benefits".

The Irish government, while still claiming it has done nothing wrong either, has been distancing itself from Jobs’ Mob.

In December, Apple CEO Tim Cook and other high-level executives were invited to Ireland to discuss the ruling and future action. Cook declined to attend, with Apple citing the legal complexity of the case behind his refusal, a move that Irish politicians considered to be a "snub to Irish people".

So far Ireland has spent 1.8 million euros defending Apple’s huge tax dodge which would probably be better spend trying to create jobs.

Last modified on 21 February 2017
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