Despite its court defeat vs Apple earlier in the week, the European Commission doesn’t seem to be changing its approach when it comes to taxing tech firms. EU Observer reported comments from top EU officials.
“We do not consider it normal that the largest corporates get away with paying one percent tax at most,” European Commission executive vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis told reporters. “It is just not sustainable from a tax-fairness point of view, it is not sustainable from a public revenues point of view and it needs to be addressed,” he said. Paolo Gentiloni, the EU commissioner for economy, made similar comments. “A single ruling is not discouraging our commitment in this sense. I would say the contrary.”
Check It Out: EU Commission Still Angry at Apple Over Tax
To me the issue they have is with Ireland, which, along with Portugal, Italy, Greece, and Spain (the PIIGS), are in financial trouble. Apple is paying what is asked of them, if Ireland isn’t charging them enough, that should be Ireland’s problem and the EU should go after them.
That, of course, is politically tougher and the EU is wimping out.
Blah blah blah. Ireland runs more efficiently that we can. How can we hamper Ireland so the rest of the EU can compete. How can we take away their sovereignty so they just do what we say.
Keep pushing and Ireland will do its own exit and the EU will dissolve into the oblivion it seems hell bent on finding for itself.