After Apple was ordered by the European Commission to shell out as much as $14.5 billion in uncollected taxes to Ireland, according to media reports, company CEO Tim Cook took to the Internet today to send a message to Apple’s European customers. (You can click here to read Cook’s letter in full.)
The Commission ruled that Ireland has been giving preferential tax treatment to Apple, and ordered Ireland to collect the taxes. The panel said Apple’s deal with the Irish government gave the company an advantage over other companies, violating European Union law.
Cook’s letter recaps some of the history of Apple’s role in Europe, notably its development of a headquarters in Cork, Ireland. Cook lashes out at the European Commission and warns of “wide-reaching implications” of the group’s action in the Apple case.
Cook accuses the Commission of trying to change the rules of the game retroactively, and calls for any new laws to instead be applied going forward.
Click here to read Cook’s letter in full.
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