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Both Ireland and Denmark are notoriously "tax efficient" options in Europe. You can't really blame corporations themselves for seeking the best deal for themsel

Both Ireland and Denmark are notoriously "tax efficient" options in Europe. You can't really blame corporations themselves for seeking the best deal for themselves, their customers, and let's not forget the shareholders. However the system that brings this about is of course to blame, the same system that brings sweatshops and environmental ravage; feral market capitalism. Although it's a system that does indeed increase the overall size of the pie, it must be properly stewarded and milked (via anti-trust laws, taxation, etc, etc) to ensure that the capital owners don't run away with the whole thing leaving just crumbs for everyone else. Unfortunately as you can see, the international environment is not ideal for providing the consistent measures really required, and companies will slip through the cracks to find the best deals for themselves, often much better than if they were under any single tax regime.

wodenokoto 12y ago
As a Dane this is the first time I've heard "Denmark" and "tax efficient" in the same sentence. Denmark is notorious for high taxes. Right now there's a huge scandal about Danish companies that have moved to European tax havens.
- jacknews 12y ago
  http://cphpost.dk/news/denmark-billed-as-perfect-tax-haven.8286.html http://cphpost.dk/news/denmark-billed-as-perfect-tax-haven.8...
jahnu 12y ago
Ireland also has a lot of other things going for it that make for a compelling business case. A highly educated English speaking work force that doesn't cost near what an equivalent employee in the US does. It's in the EU and the Eurozone. Land and buildings are inexpensive. It's a reasonably desirable place to live in Europe for other Europeans.
- toomuchtodo 12y ago
  Is the cost of living in Ireland really that much lower than the US?
gadders 12y ago
The fact that companies do this is in some ways a good thing. Their freedom to relocate and move profits acts as a check on governments continually raising taxes.
- hahainternet 12y ago
  > The fact that companies do this is in some ways a good thing. Their freedom to relocate and move profits acts as a check on governments continually raising taxes. Only on HN would massive large scale tax avoidance that has left Europe all but bankrupt would be rationalised as a good thing, because otherwise we could just feed the poor and that's no incentive to work in Apple's factories now is it!
  - k-mcgrady 12y ago
    >> "Only on HN would massive large scale tax avoidance that has left Europe all but bankrupt" Yes, that's why our economies are screwed - tax avoidance. /s I agree that it's wrong but the fact that the loopholes have been exposed and our governments have failed to fix them is the real issue. We need to do something Europe-wide because it seems each country is scared to close the loop holes because the businesses will simply move to another European country.
    - pjc50 12y ago
      In the case of Greece, this is literally true.
      - gadders 12y ago
        It's part of the story. The other part is promising benefits etc to the population that they can't afford to pay for.
  - Shivetya 12y ago
    Europe is bankrupt because the benefits giving by politicians to secure their reelections are not paid for directly thereby allowing the public to not feel the price of the benefits. taxing corporations is a means to do two things, indirectly tax your own population and tax another countries population for your benefit. Corporate mobility like personal mobility is about the only means left to insure that there is some restraint on government spending. Hence the cries for one larger more encompassing governments; world or otherwise; which won't solve the problem but sound good to those who think they are being cheated of other people's money
jaimebuelta 12y ago
Also worth noting that Apple has been around in Ireland since the 80s (Cork plant was open in 1981) Sure, it make sense from the tax point of view. But is also less than 200 km away from the biggest Apple centre in Europe (with 3,000+ people working there).

wodenokoto 12y ago

As a Dane this is the first time I've heard "Denmark" and "tax efficient" in the same sentence. Denmark is notorious for high taxes. Right now there's a huge scandal about Danish companies that have moved to European tax havens.

jacknews 12y ago
http://cphpost.dk/news/denmark-billed-as-perfect-tax-haven.8286.html http://cphpost.dk/news/denmark-billed-as-perfect-tax-haven.8...

jahnu 12y ago

Ireland also has a lot of other things going for it that make for a compelling business case. A highly educated English speaking work force that doesn't cost near what an equivalent employee in the US does. It's in the EU and the Eurozone. Land and buildings are inexpensive. It's a reasonably desirable place to live in Europe for other Europeans.

toomuchtodo 12y ago
Is the cost of living in Ireland really that much lower than the US?

gadders 12y ago

The fact that companies do this is in some ways a good thing. Their freedom to relocate and move profits acts as a check on governments continually raising taxes.

hahainternet 12y ago
> The fact that companies do this is in some ways a good thing. Their freedom to relocate and move profits acts as a check on governments continually raising taxes. Only on HN would massive large scale tax avoidance that has left Europe all but bankrupt would be rationalised as a good thing, because otherwise we could just feed the poor and that's no incentive to work in Apple's factories now is it!
- k-mcgrady 12y ago
  >> "Only on HN would massive large scale tax avoidance that has left Europe all but bankrupt" Yes, that's why our economies are screwed - tax avoidance. /s I agree that it's wrong but the fact that the loopholes have been exposed and our governments have failed to fix them is the real issue. We need to do something Europe-wide because it seems each country is scared to close the loop holes because the businesses will simply move to another European country.
  - pjc50 12y ago
    In the case of Greece, this is literally true.
    - gadders 12y ago
      It's part of the story. The other part is promising benefits etc to the population that they can't afford to pay for.
- Shivetya 12y ago
  Europe is bankrupt because the benefits giving by politicians to secure their reelections are not paid for directly thereby allowing the public to not feel the price of the benefits. taxing corporations is a means to do two things, indirectly tax your own population and tax another countries population for your benefit. Corporate mobility like personal mobility is about the only means left to insure that there is some restraint on government spending. Hence the cries for one larger more encompassing governments; world or otherwise; which won't solve the problem but sound good to those who think they are being cheated of other people's money

jaimebuelta 12y ago

Also worth noting that Apple has been around in Ireland since the 80s (Cork plant was open in 1981) Sure, it make sense from the tax point of view. But is also less than 200 km away from the biggest Apple centre in Europe (with 3,000+ people working there).