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I'm actually quite pro europe, but the insidious influence of the French in particular and, to a geat extent in other ways, the Germans, over their desire for e
by easytiger 9y ago
I'm actually quite pro europe, but the insidious influence of the French in particular and, to a geat extent in other ways, the Germans, over their desire for economic imperialistic dominion (now enriched tenfold with GB no longer party to anything going on) is a problem.
Ireland is a very small country with no natural resources. Its way of participating in the EU's drive for growth was the nation's economic policy and its well educated population as a base for American companies to bridge into Europe.
France clearly is bent out of shape because if other EU members can survive without gouging business, citizens et al with incredible levels of punitive taxation, then they can't continue their own shakedown forever without seeing business flight. Sooner or later they will have to relent and reduce their own taxes.
Same with the pursuit of Google, MS, Facebook et al. by Eurocrats with open portfolios.
Its an old fashioned shake down by the biggest self protecting bureaucracy outside of China. In my opinion.
- onli 9y agoI don't think you are aware of just how big the taxcut was Ireland gave to these companies. There is no growth if nothing is earned.
- easytiger 9y agoI'm perfectly aware. No one in the successive Irish governments has done anything other than state they will stand by their current policies. Without them there would be few jobs in Ireland.
- onli 9y agoWell, they are being sued and they will loose. This situation does not have a winning outcome for Ireland.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- skolsuper 9y agoI wish I could get paid $13bn for losing a lawsuit
- toyg 9y agoAre "you" Apple or Ireland? If you are Apple, yeah, as long as you can keep using Ireland as you proxy, you are 13bn better out and will not face any penalty. If you are Ireland, you weren't paid that much (it's actually your refusal to get paid that was the problem in the first place), and you will be fined once you've lost the lawsuit. (For the record, the fine will be a detraction on funds paid by the EU to Ireland.) But hey, if the Irish citizens are happy to subsidize both Apple and EU coffers, I guess it's a win-win in someone's book. I personally don't think it's the smartest approach...
- Stranger43 9y agoInterestingly enough Ireland is not actually getting fined, The 13bn once paid by Apple will belong to the Irish state not the EU.
- toyg 9y agoIreland will get fined because they refuse to collect those 13bn (unless they change their stance, which doesn't seem likely at the moment).
- jozzz 9y agoGrowth is earned by the extra employment in the area, generating income tax and reduced reliance on benefits/public services.
- 3pt14159 9y agoWhat? The internet is global and taxes are local. Why should governments allow a race to the bottom on tax rates?
- mcny 9y agoExactly! To someone in California, is it any better if jobs move to Texas because of lax employee protection and rock bottom taxes as opposed to the jobs moving to China PR? Why do we allow this race to the bottom?
- easytiger 9y agoThere are more variables than tax rate behind business decisions.
- sgift 9y ago> Ireland is a very small country with no natural resources. Its way of participating in the EU's drive for growth was the nation's economic policy Irelands economic policy is "no taxes, make your EU HQ here!", so you just argued for the exact opposite position a few minutes before. Which one is it?
- easytiger 9y agoIt isn't no taxes. And yes certain deals were struck, still supported by the democratically elected government. You will have noticed every company in the world hasn't relocated... so yes, there are other variables.
- eecc 9y agoNice troll, but this PR piece is a bit too evident, oozes corporate propaganda. Go back to the drawing board and make is subtler
- easytiger 9y ago> Nice troll, but this PR piece is a bit too evident, oozes corporate propaganda. Care to back up your assertions? Or indeed offer anything to the discussion.
- CogitoCogito 9y agoThe decision seems pretty clear. Why shouldn't Ireland have to abide by the agreements it signed when entering into the EU? If it wants to be able to enter into these agreements it shouldn't have joined. If it considers it extremely important, maybe it should leave.
- jamespo 9y agoBecause just like other net benefactors from EU money such as Hungary and Poland they want to have their cake and eat it.
- oblio 9y agoI'm pretty sure Ireland can thrive without leeching taxes from the rest of the EU. And regarding no natural resources, I don't think Japan or South Korea or quite a few other developed countries have those either.
- easytiger 9y agoIreland is around 4 million people and in the 80s was an incredibly poor country with little industry. Now it is building a large services economy and is a business destination. Thanks to the tax policies implemented in the early 1990s. Without those, the jobs and net population decline would have continued faster than it is now.
- saiya-jin 9y agoso what? we have to accept immoral any possibly illegal tax evasion schemes impacting negatively half a billion of wealthy population so that tiny country can have its artificial growth? with same logic you guys can start manufacturing weapons and land mines, it seems like a good way to earn some dough in current times
- oblio 9y agoOk... and when does it stop? Ireland now has one of the highest GNIs per capita in the EU: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sovereign_states_in_Europe_by_GNI_(PPP)_per_capita https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sovereign_states_in_Eu... How long does the "poor, old me" thing apply?
- easytiger 9y agoThey also have one of the largest national debt per capita statistics.