4 ms·

Apple is free to not sell or operate in the EU, the taxes are just the equivalent fee Amazon or EBay charges you to operate in their markets. If Apple thinks it

Apple is free to not sell or operate in the EU, the taxes are just the equivalent fee Amazon or EBay charges you to operate in their markets. If Apple thinks it's too high, no problem, sell somewhere else until the European countries decide it's worth lowering taxes. It's a free market after all and that's what the EU is fighting to keep. I'm extremely surprised to see so many Americans against it - it's the root of your very own system. I guess it's just misinformation.

philliphaydon 10y ago
I'm not American, and that's not what the EU is fighting to keep. If the EU doesn't like that Ireland gave a special deal, then the EU needs to work on becoming competitive, instead of trying to throw it's weight around. If the EU gets it's way, it's Ireland that loses, not Apple. The EU was a brilliant idea that has been poorly executed and it should be disbanded completely.
- Oletros 10y ago
  > If the EU doesn't like that Ireland gave a special deal, then the EU needs to work on becoming competitive, instead of trying to throw it's weight around. Are you aware that Ireland pertains to the EU, isn't?
- masklinn 10y ago
  > If the EU doesn't like that Ireland gave a special deal, then the EU needs to work on becoming competitive, instead of trying to throw it's weight around. You're making no sense whatsoever, this isn't about "EU becoming competitive" it's about competitive environment between companies operating in the common market. If one specific company gets a sweetheart corporate tax deal the market is distorted, because every other company has to pay the posted tax rate and doesn't get to keep an additional 10% of their income. And the EU is not "throwing its weight around", the rule on state aid dates back to the foundational EEC treaty (the Treaty of Rome, back in '57), it predates both the modern EU and Ireland's accession to the EEC.
- NetStrikeForce 10y ago
  The EU is arguably the biggest market in the world, why wouldn't it use that for the benefit of its citizens? Same way Apple uses its weight to cut better deals with its providers and the countries it operates in.
  - philliphaydon 10y ago
    It doesn't benefit it's citizen with the exception of free roam.

philliphaydon 10y ago

I'm not American, and that's not what the EU is fighting to keep. If the EU doesn't like that Ireland gave a special deal, then the EU needs to work on becoming competitive, instead of trying to throw it's weight around. If the EU gets it's way, it's Ireland that loses, not Apple. The EU was a brilliant idea that has been poorly executed and it should be disbanded completely.

Oletros 10y ago
> If the EU doesn't like that Ireland gave a special deal, then the EU needs to work on becoming competitive, instead of trying to throw it's weight around. Are you aware that Ireland pertains to the EU, isn't?
masklinn 10y ago
> If the EU doesn't like that Ireland gave a special deal, then the EU needs to work on becoming competitive, instead of trying to throw it's weight around. You're making no sense whatsoever, this isn't about "EU becoming competitive" it's about competitive environment between companies operating in the common market. If one specific company gets a sweetheart corporate tax deal the market is distorted, because every other company has to pay the posted tax rate and doesn't get to keep an additional 10% of their income. And the EU is not "throwing its weight around", the rule on state aid dates back to the foundational EEC treaty (the Treaty of Rome, back in '57), it predates both the modern EU and Ireland's accession to the EEC.
NetStrikeForce 10y ago
The EU is arguably the biggest market in the world, why wouldn't it use that for the benefit of its citizens? Same way Apple uses its weight to cut better deals with its providers and the countries it operates in.
- philliphaydon 10y ago
  It doesn't benefit it's citizen with the exception of free roam.