Apple and Ireland win appeal of $14.4B EU tax case
The European Commission has been overruled in a legal case where the Irish government argued that Apple was not given unfair and illegal tax advantages by the country.

Apple's Ireland headquarters
Following the European Commission's decision to demand $14.4B in back taxes from Apple, the General Court in Luxembourg has ruled that the Irish government did not unlawfully aid the Cupertino company in reducing its tax bill.
According to the Irish Times, the new ruling states that the EC "did not succeed in showing to the requisite legal standard" that Apple benefited from Ireland's tax laws. This ruling, however, may yet be appealed before the highest court in the EU, the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Apple has not commented on the case lately, but a spokesperson for the Irish government has welcomed the verdict. "[It comes] at a sensitive time for Ireland," Ryan McGrath told the Irish Times, "which has been forced to fight a rearguard action against European efforts to impose different types of sales and digital taxes in recent years."
The original EU ruling in 2016 claimed that the Irish government gave Apple incentives to file taxes there and offered preferential tax breaks. As a result of that ruling, Apple was required to pay the $14.4B to the EU.
While Apple has made the payment, the money is currently in an escrow account. It will remain there until the result of any possible future appeal.

Apple's Ireland headquarters
Following the European Commission's decision to demand $14.4B in back taxes from Apple, the General Court in Luxembourg has ruled that the Irish government did not unlawfully aid the Cupertino company in reducing its tax bill.
According to the Irish Times, the new ruling states that the EC "did not succeed in showing to the requisite legal standard" that Apple benefited from Ireland's tax laws. This ruling, however, may yet be appealed before the highest court in the EU, the Court of Justice of the European Union.
#EUGeneralCourt annuls the decision taken by the @EU_Commission regarding the Irish #TaxRulings in favour of @Apple #Apple #EUCommission #StateAid pic.twitter.com/KoF6r1n82S
— EU Court of Justice (@EUCourtPress)
Apple has not commented on the case lately, but a spokesperson for the Irish government has welcomed the verdict. "[It comes] at a sensitive time for Ireland," Ryan McGrath told the Irish Times, "which has been forced to fight a rearguard action against European efforts to impose different types of sales and digital taxes in recent years."
The original EU ruling in 2016 claimed that the Irish government gave Apple incentives to file taxes there and offered preferential tax breaks. As a result of that ruling, Apple was required to pay the $14.4B to the EU.
While Apple has made the payment, the money is currently in an escrow account. It will remain there until the result of any possible future appeal.
Comments
That said, I'm quite surprised that Ireland and Apple did win.
I’m not saying Apple and Ireland will ultimately win even though I do not believe for a minute Apple broke the law.
I do believe the EU will more than ever given recent economic events do anything they can get to as much as they can from anywhere they can.
Again, this has been covered many times. Please stop spreading misinformation.
Kudos to the EU court! Justice prevails.
You're the one spreading misinformation, I am afraid. If the money gets credited to Ireland, that is money in the bank for the EU since they will have to send a smaller annual check to the country (Ireland is a net recipient of EU largesse).
It was Ireland who broke the law, not Apple. Apple reaped the benefits of the scheme (as did Ireland). But it was Ireland who committed the crime -- Apple basically simply received the stolen goods.
Guess what, sometimes, courts agree.
That is also possible, but has nothing to do with the EU doing a supposed money grab. Ireland being less competitive does not benefit the EU specifically, it just levels the playing field, which is what the point of the state aid law was in the first place.
Not really, they just weren't particularly relevant to the point being made.
Corporations do not pay taxes- they pass them on to the customers.