According to domestic media reports, the European Commission announced yesterday that it will again appeal to Apple’s $15 billion tax case.
In August 2016, the European Commission ruled that Apple illegally evaded taxes of 13.1 billion euros (approximately 15 billion US dollars) in Ireland , and that Apple must return this part of the tax to the Irish government.
Regarding the ruling, both Apple and the Irish government expressed dissatisfaction and filed an appeal.
At the same time, as a member of the European Union, Ireland has fulfilled the European Union’s ruling and accepted the tax paid by Apple.
In September 2018, Ireland confirmed that Apple had deposited all taxes into an escrow account established by the Irish government. But the Irish government did not use the funds, but waited for the verdict of the case.
The European Union’s second highest court, the General Court, stated that the European Commission had failed to prove that Ireland’s tax arrangement with Apple was an illegal state aid, and that the European Commission had not legally proved that their actions were reasonable.
On September 25, EU Antitrust Commissioner Margrethe Vestager confirmed that the European Commission has decided to appeal to the European Court of Justice, the highest court of the European Union .
Apple responded that it will evaluate this, but this will not change the factual conclusion made by the court before .
Apple pointed out: “After receiving an appeal from the European Commission, we will evaluate it, but this will not change the factual conclusions made by the court before. These conclusions prove that, like other markets, we have been complying with relevant laws in Ireland. “