LONDON – Apple has come to a settlement with the French authorities over unpaid taxes. The amount set to be paid has not been declared publicly. However, it is thought to be in the region of 500 million Euro ($571 million).
Multi-Year Audit Concluded
Confirming the agreement, Apple France said in a statement (via Reuters):
As a multinational company, Apple is regularly audited by fiscal authorities around the world. The French tax administration recently concluded a multi-year audit on the company’s French accounts, and those details will be published in our public accounts.
French Protestors Targeted Apple
The taxes paid by the world’s top tech firms is a major issue for European lawmakers at the moment. The French government wanted a European Union-wide tax on major software and digital companies to be introduced.
French activists had targeted Apple for its tax arrangements (via MacRumors). One group, called “Attac”, protested at Apple Stores in the country. Apple sued the group in February 2018, but their attempts to stop the group from protesting were blocked by the Paris High Court.