Originally appeared at DWN, translated by John T. Sumner exclusively for SouthFront
The US government has launched an unusually massive attack against the European Commission: The Americans accuse the EU of acting as a supranational control authority and of discriminating US corporations like Apple in this function. The US government is threatening the EU with retaliation in case the EU should stick to its course of condemning Apple to a billion-Dollar-tax payment.
A massive controversy has erupted between the US government and the EU Commission. With unusually incisive wording, the Americans are hitting out against the EU. The reason is an EU investigation against Apple due to insufficient tax payments. In a paper of the US Treasury Department the competition authority of the European Commission is accused to air as supranational fiscal authority, overstepping their competencies this way. In the view of the US government, the EU Commission is not entitled, to direct the member states regarding taxes. With their behavior, the European Commission would threaten the international agreements on tax legislation.
In the paper the EU Commission is blatantly threatened. Should the Commission maintain its position by insisting on a higher taxation of Apple, the US government would draw appropriate responses into consideration. The FT, who had revealed this paper, writes that Apple expects a penalty of up to 19 billion Dollars, in case the EU should take the view that Apple had paid lesser taxes in Ireland, although the corresponding sales figures were accumulated in other EU nations.
The US government accuses the EU to particularly disadvantage US corporations. A Commission spokeswoman said to the FT that the EU would treat all companies the same. They would be in an extended conversation with the Americans and would be available for discussions with the US government at any time.
Stupid pot calling the dumb kettle black. The US empire of stupidity at it’s finest.
It’s not stupidity – it’s STINKING HYPOCRISY.
Apple signed an agreement with the Government of Ireland years ago regarding taxation, now the EU is sticking their greedy hands into the pot.I know the Russian mind is damaged by prenatal alcohol abuse, and then corrupted by a degenerate society, but try to understand the concept of honoring agreements.
US and it’s Corporations are so corrupt….that it’s about time others hold them into account!
Pay up…..or get out of Europe!
Some, but if You google, they are not high ranked – but of course, they are big in the world economy.
You forget European do same thing and some of it is possible because og national protection and parts of the tax systems are not good.
Apple is just a foreign example and Vestager & Co cant take them all withóut more help form the locals.
You should get an education and a career, I know that you are a poor leftwing moron-but you could at least try. Get off Governments dick and get to work.
And the Government of Ireland puts sodium fluoride into the drinking water, so the people of Ireland have poisoned brains, too.
You have to compere with not doing it. Braindamage Yourself.
You’re exhibit #1 for brain damage, idiot.
Dr. Strangelove “Mandrake, have you ever seen a commie drink a glass of water?” I hope you realize what you posted was lampooned in 1964 in the movie Dr Strangelove. You are a very disturbed individual.
The EU doesn’t give a shit about corporations’ agreements with corrupt politicians. Get out of the EU if you want to be a truly sovereign state, otherwise play by the EU rules.
Might get som knowledge using the internet. EU is above the sytems in the local countries, where You read, they are better.
EU make this, because the sovereign states are not good enough themselves – Not the opposite way.
It has advantages and disadvantages.
Brexit first and Ireland will follow, because Apple creates jobs and the little commies in the EU will create poverty.
Your logic is the very reason that you are a poor and malcontented.
Who is poor, dude?
I personally am not poor and Europe in general is rich. What do you mean …
Well, do You pay guest to visit You. They were invited to make profit and give profit to apple as well at Eire. It didnt happen. Without that, they had just stayes in US paying tax as they should – If they do/did.
LMAO stupid just WHEN did we ever honor any agreements for you see we don’t have any friends only interest, business interest and there are a few million dead bodies around to prove it Libya and Syria are the two latest and before that Iraq and Afghanistan and before that Iraq again and before that Nam Cambodia and Thailand.!!
Million of billions but only too bad we missed the shithole you sprung up from.
Lol idiot seeing I reside in New York you must be speaking of the U.S. and yes it is fast approaching a shithole and has been going that way ever since they killed JFK and Bobby back in 1963,now have a nice day.!!!
So Apply doesn’t pay taxes and EU is to blame? Sorry but that is Europe, where you don’t get away with tax evasion by financing a politician campaign.
Apple paid corporate tax based on Irish law and has for years. Only now did the EU and pulled this scheme. The US has laws that could be used in reciprocity and hit back alot harder at the core European manufacturing centers. The EU is run by children and without the Northern Europeans will devolve into a socialist abyss-like Russia, Greece, Italy and Spain.
Scheme? If Apple doesn’t owe anything why don’t they prove it during the investigation. If a company from EU doesn’t pay taxes, then US should to the same.
And fyi, majority of EU countries are socialist, and it seems to be working fine.
Yeah but the beauro-Krats in Brussels dont pay a dime in taxes. :Lagarde and all her ilk pay no tax.
it is not logical to pay tax from a salary that is paid by the tax.
Apple is only one of many, and unfortunatly its not only american companies.
My economy also would improve not paying tax. Mee – Mee – Mee too.
Let people walk more to the hospitals. Most people havent lost their legs comming there.
We have tax on every other apple soldi n the stores..,
Now guess what would happen under TTIP. Apple would go for the ISDS arbitrage and would walk away with no fine.