Google and Apple Face Billions in Penalties After Losing E.U. Appeals
The EU court ruled against Apple and Google in antitrust cases, requiring Apple to pay €13 billion in taxes and fining Google €2.4 billion, highlighting increased tech regulation efforts.
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The European Union's highest court has ruled against Apple and Google in two significant antitrust cases, marking a pivotal moment in the EU's efforts to regulate major technology companies. The court upheld a 2016 EU order requiring Ireland to collect €13 billion (approximately $14.4 billion) in unpaid taxes from Apple, which was found to have made illegal tax arrangements with the Irish government. Apple argued that this decision imposes a double tax on its income already taxed in the U.S. In the Google case, the court confirmed a €2.4 billion fine for the company for favoring its own price-comparison service in search results over competitors. Both companies have faced ongoing scrutiny from EU regulators, with the cases highlighting the EU's role as a leading tech watchdog. The rulings have raised questions about the EU's lengthy appeals process and its ability to keep pace with the rapidly evolving tech landscape. Margrethe Vestager, the EU's antitrust chief, expressed her surprise and satisfaction with the rulings, which she believes signify a new era in digital regulation. Both companies are also facing additional legal challenges in the U.S. related to antitrust issues, indicating a broader global trend towards increased scrutiny of tech giants.
- The EU court ruled against Apple and Google in landmark antitrust cases.
- Apple must pay €13 billion in unpaid taxes to Ireland.
- Google was fined €2.4 billion for antitrust violations regarding its search results.
- The rulings reflect the EU's aggressive stance on tech regulation.
- Both companies face ongoing legal challenges in the U.S. and Europe.
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12 commentsYou need to be a query engineer to overcome the perverse search algorithm that goes out of its way to sell you junk and knock off's. It didn't used to be this way and how much revenue is enough revenue when it comes at the expense of the consumers.
I can't imagine how difficult it is for regular consumers who haven't developed these skills as part of their job to navigate these sites now.
> “This case has never been about how much tax we pay, but which government we are required to pay it to,” Apple said in a statement on Tuesday. “The European Commission is trying to retroactively change the rules and ignore that, as required by international tax law, our income was already subject to taxes in the U.S.”
Is Apple being treated differently here in any way than other international companies?
It is interesting how places like Luxembourg get away with similar antics.
Splitting up Google seems more and more likely, probably would raise the overall market cap and drive innovation
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