Apple Reaches Deal With France To Pay Estimated $571 Million In Back-Taxes (macrumors.com)

Apple has reached a deal with French authorities to pay an undeclared amount of back-dated tax. While the amount isn't disclosed, French media suggest the sum is around $571 million (500 million euros). MacRumors reports: France has been working diligently to stop tech companies like Apple from exploiting tax loopholes in the country. The loopholes are said to have allowed Apple to "minimize taxes and grab market share" at the expense of Europe-based companies. French President Emmanuel Macron is one of the leaders behind the tax crackdown on international tech companies, with a goal of bringing a more unified corporate tax system across the nineteen euro area states.

As noted by iPhon.fr, Apple and French tax authorities reached the agreement for the payment of several years of unpaid taxes in December, according to French newspaper L'Expansion. The agreement followed a meeting in October between Apple CEO Tim Cook and President Macron, in which both reportedly agreed that a solution would ultimately be enacted by the European Union rather than France.

Comments

good.

[serviscope_minor]

These large companies are built on civilisation, which is paid for by taxes. Everybody needs to pay in so success stories like Apple can exist. And it's certainly fair that those that benefit the most pay the most.

Anything else is fleecing the middle class to pay for the extravagance of the ultra rich. A strong middle class is needed for a strong economy and demand. If the Apple's of this world all actually got what they wanted they'd be screwed since there would be no one to buy their "premium" offerings.

It's pure hypocrisy. The excuses for doing it are just terrible too and amount to saying it's ok doing something deeply unethical and borderline illegal if you do it for money.