Turkey's deputy PM encourages Apple to move in wake of EU tax ruling

Posted:
in General Discussion
On Tuesday the Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey extended an open invitation for Apple to move its international operations to that country, in the wake of a E.U. ruling ordering Ireland to collect $14.5 billion in back taxes from the company.




"Apple should move to Turkey," , Mehmet Simsek wrote on Twitter. "Happy to provide more generous tax incentives. Won't have to deal with EU bureaucracy."

Early Tuesday the European Commission determined that Ireland issued preferential tax benefits to Apple, something constituting illegal state aid under E.U. rules. Both Apple and the Irish government have vowed to fight the decision, the latter concerned about keeping multinational corporations invested.

Apple does have two stores in Istanbul, and has dealt with the Turkish government in the past. For a number of reasons, though, Apple is unlikely to relocate to Turkey. On top of the substantial infrastructure it has in Ireland, it just recently won permission to add 1,000 jobs there, as well as build a new data center.

Turkey is also politically unstable, having just recently dealt with an attempted coup. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded by purging anyone suspected of involvement, and critics have accused him of using this as an excuse to remove anyone who might challenge him. The country is moreover subject to periodic Islamist terrorism, and the government's long-running conflict with the Kurds.

In fact Turkey has been working to enter the E.U. for almost a decade, which might mean that even if Apple were to relocate, it could end up under E.U. jurisdiction within a matter of years.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 98
    singularitysingularity Posts: 1,328member
    There is no chance of Turkey being in the EU this decade
    cnocbuih2pcapasicumchiarovertwilliamlondonjbdragonalbegarcfrankie
  • Reply 2 of 98
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    I say Apple should tell the EU they'll be relocating to Britain now that they're out and Apple should simply refuse to pay that extortionate and fraudulent bill. 
    edited August 2016 drewys808SolicalilatifbpDeelronslprescottcintosrovertpscooter63razormaid
  • Reply 3 of 98
    sricesrice Posts: 120member
    I say Apple should tell the EU they'll be relocating to Britain now that they're out of the EU.
    They would still need to pay EU taxes on revenues obtained in the EU.

    I blame the Big Four -- they are shills and sell fancy financial tricks to save $$, collect their fees and run.  5 years later the taxman comes a calling and demands taxes owed. By then the Big Four are long gone.  Corporations should take the Big Fours tricks with a pile of salt. 
    crowleycapasicumalbegarc
  • Reply 4 of 98
    Apple needs a base in the EU, it's a massive market (Britain, not so much). This will get sorted out, so just chill with the knee-jerk "We're not gonna play with you anymore" comments, ok?
    cwingravrune66capasicum
  • Reply 5 of 98
    In the end, all this is Apple trying to avoid paying taxes, something all of us do compliantly without begging for exception. Apple and other Corporations are simply moochers of a countries wealth whether that be the consumer's dollars or the consumer's labour. They are transient welfare bums.
    rpetersfrankie
  • Reply 6 of 98
    AdBrit said:
    In the end, all this is Apple trying to avoid paying taxes, something all of us do compliantly without begging for exception. Apple and other Corporations are simply moochers of a countries wealth whether that be the consumer's dollars or the consumer's labour. They are transient welfare bums.
    Your first sentence is actually correct, although you didn't mean it to be. Corporations avoid paying taxes, like we all do, most of us avoid paying taxes we don't have to.

    Yes, Apple took a big portion of Ireland's wealth /s
    edited August 2016 latifbpcwingravanantksundaramDeelrontopper24hoursmike1rovertnetmage
  • Reply 7 of 98
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    AdBrit said:
    In the end, all this is Apple trying to avoid paying taxes, something all of us do compliantly without begging for exception. Apple and other Corporations are simply moochers of a countries wealth whether that be the consumer's dollars or the consumer's labour. They are transient welfare bums.
    What should a corporation do? Pay taxes beyond what they are legally obligated to pay in order to appease you? I certainly have accountants looking for every possible way I can reduce how much I legally owe the gov't. You don't do that?
    SpamSandwichnolamacguylatifbpcwingravmwhiteanantksundaramDeelroncintosmike1roundaboutnow
  • Reply 8 of 98
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    "Come here. I'll f*** you softer".
    dasanman69loopyfrogger
  • Reply 9 of 98
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Soli said:
    AdBrit said:
    In the end, all this is Apple trying to avoid paying taxes, something all of us do compliantly without begging for exception. Apple and other Corporations are simply moochers of a countries wealth whether that be the consumer's dollars or the consumer's labour. They are transient welfare bums.
    What should a corporation do? Pay taxes beyond what they are legally obligated to pay in order to appease you? I certainly have accountants looking for every possible way I can reduce how much I legally owe the gov't. You don't do that?
    Moochers are not concerned about protecting what they have, they simply employ power-seeking political scumbags to force you to give up what you have.
    edited August 2016 latifbprpetersjbdragonCapriguy
  • Reply 10 of 98
    Violating the law and then moving would make me switch to Android.  Going to watch veryt closely Mr Cooks stance and actions.
    rpetersfrankie
  • Reply 11 of 98
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Grimzahn said:
    Violating the law and then moving would make me switch to Android.  Going to watch veryt closely Mr Cooks stance and actions.
    Troll post of the day...so far.
    mrboba1apple ][anantksundaramtopper24hoursrovertjbdragonmonstrositynetmagerealjustinlongCapriguy
  • Reply 12 of 98
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    AdBrit said:
    In the end, all this is Apple trying to avoid paying taxes, something all of us do compliantly without begging for exception. Apple and other Corporations are simply moochers of a countries wealth whether that be the consumer's dollars or the consumer's labour. They are transient welfare bums.
    I do NOT pay my taxes “compliantly.” And ALL of us “beg for exception” whether it’s deducting home mortgage interest, deducting for each minor child, elder care, whatever. I use every legal means or loophole possible to avoid paying any more than I absolutely have to. Loopholes are put in tax codes on purpose, not accidentally. And I don’t know of anyone who sends in an extra check just because they feel it’s the fair thing to do. I know the socialist mind thinks otherwise with its basic hive mentality.
    latifbpmwhiteSpamSandwichmike1jbdragonnetmage
  • Reply 13 of 98
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    Soli said:
    What should a corporation do? Pay taxes beyond what they are legally obligated to pay in order to appease you? I certainly have accountants looking for every possible way I can reduce how much I legally owe the gov't. You don't do that?
    Moochers are not concerned about protecting what they have, they simply employ power-seeking political scumbags to force you to give up what you have
    Can you be more clear? I'm not sure I'm getting your point


    PS: I didn't down-vote your response to me.
    SpamSandwich
  • Reply 14 of 98
    latifbplatifbp Posts: 544member
    Grimzahn said:
    Violating the law and then moving would make me switch to Android.  Going to watch veryt closely Mr Cooks stance and actions.
    How 'bout you just switch to Android now and get your begging for welfare from Apple out of here. Just get it over with now so we don't need to hear your entitled to others' money bullshit
    edited August 2016 mwhitetopper24hoursrovertpacificfilmjbdragonmonstrositynetmageCapriguy
  • Reply 15 of 98
    singularitysingularity Posts: 1,328member
    lkrupp said:
    AdBrit said:
    In the end, all this is Apple trying to avoid paying taxes, something all of us do compliantly without begging for exception. Apple and other Corporations are simply moochers of a countries wealth whether that be the consumer's dollars or the consumer's labour. They are transient welfare bums.
    I do NOT pay my taxes “compliantly.” And ALL of us “beg for exception” whether it’s deducting home mortgage interest, deducting for each minor child, elder care, whatever. I use every legal means or loophole possible to avoid paying any more than I absolutely have to. Loopholes are put in tax codes on purpose, not accidentally. And I don’t know of anyone who sends in an extra check just because they feel it’s the fair thing to do. I know the socialist mind thinks otherwise with its basic hive mentality.
    You do realise that the tax rules are vastly different in Europe. In the UK as an example there is no mortgage, child or elder relief. In fact the average person never has to make a tax declaration. It's deducted from pay (paye pay as you earn). So unless you have a share portfolio, additional income or are self employed you do nothing each year. So tax avoidance is a black art here. It's probably why the use of "loopholes" to reduce tax by enormous amounts has the average person over here outraged as they do not have access to these schemes because you generally  have to be seriously wealthy to even use them.
    asdasdgoodbyeranch
  • Reply 16 of 98
    cnocbuicnocbui Posts: 3,613member
    I say Apple should tell the EU they'll be relocating to Britain now that they're out and Apple should simply refuse to pay that extortionate and fraudulent bill. 
    And this is why you don't work for Apple.

    Apple would go from a corporate tax rate of 12.5% to 21%.  Then when the UK has exited the EU, the EU will charge 20% on tens of billions worth of Apple's goods imported into the EU from the UK.

    Makes paying 12.5% seem like a bargain.
    singularitycapasicumfrankie
  • Reply 17 of 98
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    There is no chance of Turkey being in the EU this decade
    I was there last year and most business people I spoke to were a bit ticked off they were rejected but then went on to say in hindsight they were glad they were.  At that time their economy was doing way better than many EU countries.  The complication for the west in all this of course is Turkey guarding the only access the Russia Navy has to Sevastopol.  It's a choke hold the west needs to keep and bribery, sorry I mean negotiations will be needed I'm sure.  NATO membership already gained so what's next absent EU membership I wonder.
    jbdragon
  • Reply 18 of 98
    blitz1blitz1 Posts: 433member
    Soli said:
    AdBrit said:
    In the end, all this is Apple trying to avoid paying taxes, something all of us do compliantly without begging for exception. Apple and other Corporations are simply moochers of a countries wealth whether that be the consumer's dollars or the consumer's labour. They are transient welfare bums.
    What should a corporation do? Pay taxes beyond what they are legally obligated to pay in order to appease you? I certainly have accountants looking for every possible way I can reduce how much I legally owe the gov't. You don't do that?
    Legally obligated to pay in Ireland is 12,5%.
    Not 1%, not 0.005%
    Gymkhanafrankie
  • Reply 19 of 98
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    Soli said:
    AdBrit said:
    In the end, all this is Apple trying to avoid paying taxes, something all of us do compliantly without begging for exception. Apple and other Corporations are simply moochers of a countries wealth whether that be the consumer's dollars or the consumer's labour. They are transient welfare bums.
    What should a corporation do? Pay taxes beyond what they are legally obligated to pay in order to appease you? I certainly have accountants looking for every possible way I can reduce how much I legally owe the gov't. You don't do that?
    I find it pretty ironic the people who complain companies are avoiding to pay taxes. The whole point of doing your taxes is trying to pay the least amount possible. 
    Solilatifbpmike1rovertjbdragonCapriguy
  • Reply 20 of 98
    singularitysingularity Posts: 1,328member
    There is no chance of Turkey being in the EU this decade
    I was there last year and most business people I spoke to were a bit ticked off they were rejected but then went on to say in hindsight they were glad they were.  At that time their economy was doing way better than many EU countries.  The complication for the west in all this of course is Turkey guarding the only access the Russia Navy has to Sevastopol.  It's a choke hold the west needs to keep and bribery, sorry I mean negotiations will be needed I'm sure.  NATO membership already gained so what's next absent EU membership I wonder.
    Turkey became a nato  signatory in 1952
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