Germany not backing off plan to increase Apple taxes
The country's finance ministry denied a report that it's dropped its support for an European Commission plan to collect more taxes on Apple and other Internet giants.

According to Reuters, the office of German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz has denied a previous report that Scholz has given up on plans to raise taxes on Apple, Google, and other large tech companies.
"There has been no decision made yet by the minister or the ministry on one or more instruments," a spokesperson said, according to the news service.
The Bild newspaper had reported that Scholz was backing away from the plan because "demonization" of such firms was "not productive." That report was based on internal documents, but the spokesperson for the ministry said they were "very selectively" cited, as one of many options.
"The debate is still ongoing, also among the finance ministers of Europe and the G7/G20 countries. The Federal Government still aims to ensure a fair taxation of internet companies," the spokesperson added.
The European Union, in which German Chancellor Angela Merkel holds a de facto leadership position, has pushed a plan that would require companies of a certain size to pay taxes all over the E.U. territory, rather than only in the country in which they are regionally headquartered. It would target companies with annual revenues over a level that Apple, Google and Amazon would most certainly meet.
Scholz's SDP party, which is part of a ruling coalition with Merkel's Christian Democratic Union, ran in the last national elections in favor of increased taxation on large Internet firms.

According to Reuters, the office of German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz has denied a previous report that Scholz has given up on plans to raise taxes on Apple, Google, and other large tech companies.
"There has been no decision made yet by the minister or the ministry on one or more instruments," a spokesperson said, according to the news service.
The Bild newspaper had reported that Scholz was backing away from the plan because "demonization" of such firms was "not productive." That report was based on internal documents, but the spokesperson for the ministry said they were "very selectively" cited, as one of many options.
"The debate is still ongoing, also among the finance ministers of Europe and the G7/G20 countries. The Federal Government still aims to ensure a fair taxation of internet companies," the spokesperson added.
The European Union, in which German Chancellor Angela Merkel holds a de facto leadership position, has pushed a plan that would require companies of a certain size to pay taxes all over the E.U. territory, rather than only in the country in which they are regionally headquartered. It would target companies with annual revenues over a level that Apple, Google and Amazon would most certainly meet.
Scholz's SDP party, which is part of a ruling coalition with Merkel's Christian Democratic Union, ran in the last national elections in favor of increased taxation on large Internet firms.
Comments
but I don't understand the second sentence.
Like in all of the 20th century, Germany only cares about itself and its profit...
Good policy or not (and I suspect not), the bureaucrats are entitled to raise taxes on large internet companies and spread the tax wealth around as they see fit. It’s all about EU integration, the perception of fairness, and a little socialistic ‘soak the rich’ thrown in for good measure.
But it doesn’t matter to Apple because one way or another the good citizens of the EU will end up paying more taxes as Apple will pass the bill along to the unwitting euro-consumer.
Just an expression meaning to exagerate or overstate the gravity of the Problem/Situation.
But I doubt the guy is german, because I never heard the term "Saure Gurkenzeit?"
Also "saure Gurkenzeit" hab ich nie gehört!
“Saure Gurkenzeit” means something like “sour times” in English—a time when resources are tight and you’re reduced to living off pickled cucumbers.
It’s a common expression.
It just doesn’t make sense if you’re asking why there is so much ado about nothing...
I think the poster meant the “Sommerloch” — the summer slump in the news season that forces news outlets to fill their formats with blown-up bullshit.
Kann man so nennen