Earlier this week, Apple was hit by a decision of the European Commission to pay the sum of 13 billion euros in back taxes to Ireland. Apple immediately refuted any crime and it has already been said that the Irish government will appeal. Apple CEO Tim Cook has continued this rant today in the Irish press, with a column in The Independent newspaper and a radio interview at Rare.
Cook says that the effective tax rate (0.005%) reported by the Commission is false and also labeled it a "political garbage". He says that Apple has really paid $ 400 million in Ireland the same year and believes he was the largest taxpayer in the country that year.
Cook says that Apple will continue its expansion plans in Ireland, as usual, including the construction of a new data center very soon, despite the controversy over taxes. It is believed that both Apple like Ireland will succeed in an appeal. He says "nobody did anything wrong here and we have to be united." Cook says that Apple stands out for the payment of Ireland's tax rate of 12.5% and the company has never had a special treatment for the decrease of these.
"It has not diminished one iota, we are completely committed to Ireland. We believe that the team is world class. They do this kind of incredible job for Apple and we are moving forward with the planned investments, ”he said.
Government officials Ireland are entrenched in an internal battle over whether to fight against the EU in court or not. Some members of the Irish coalition government believe they should accept the 13 million euros as an injection of cash into public funds.
Cook continued to press for tax reform around the world, but says that any change should not occur retroactively, as the European Commission is trying to act. The Irish government meets again on Friday to discuss about his next move in the case.
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