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Apple Files 14-Point Appeal Against European Commission's $14 Billion Tax Edict (appleinsider.com)
An anonymous reader shares an AppleInsider report: Apple has filed its appeal with the European court of appeals, all declaring that the European Commission's decision to levy $14 billion in taxes on Apple on behalf of the EU is erroneous, against the rule of law, and should be stricken. The 14 points of appeal introduced by Apple on Monday challenge the European Commission (EC) on several fronts. Primarily, Apple contests that the Cork, Ireland, headquarters of Apple's European wing was properly set up, in accordance with all regulations and laws. Additionally, other apparent accounting blunders by the EC while making its decision were brought up as well. Apple points out that the taxable income attributed to the Ireland branch was misapplied, giving more weight to the Irish operation than it should, and that back taxes were being applied to worldwide profits.
Well, Apple.
The EU is applying the back taxes to worldwide profits, as Apple is choosing to transfer those profits
to the EU using IP licensing charges, and therefore those profits ARE present in the EU.
That, kids, is why they play this game. They hide worldwide profits in a tax haven, but now they want to
pretend they didnt do that.. Boo Hoo.
Can you shill any harder? Christ, they aren't paying you!
They're a fantastically wealthy company that doesn't pay their fair share in taxes. 14 Billion is, very likely, far less than they legitimately owe. It's also an amount they can pay without noticing. If you got a letter saying you owed a buck and a quarter in taxes, you'd be annoyed, but actually paying it wouldn't change anything for you. That's what 14 Billion is to Apple -- a buck and a quarter.
Regardless, you're on Slashdot shilling for your favorite consumer electronics company. Why? What do you hope to accomplish?
Look, they know they're tax cheats. You know they're tax cheats. Everyone knows that Apple are tax cheats. Let it go, man. Let it go.
Your mistake is in assuming Apple isn't abiding by all the local laws. They did, but the EU thought they could change the laws and apply taxes retroactively.
Generically this category of taxation is called either communism or fraud.