Comment by throwaway1974 | Hacker News Reader

Comment by throwaway1974 | Hacker News Reader

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I have heard that argument being made and like I said as a small business owner here it does piss me off that likes of Apple get preferential treatment from the taxman (but not surprised).

But if that is the case then the matter should be handled via courts, Revenue and the Gardai(police).

Who made the EU Commission the judge, jury and executioner?

You have to remember the EU is not the US, it is a much looser union where member states apparently meant to have most of the power, so in this case it seems there is somesort of powergrab and I do not like it

I voted for Europe in each and every referendum but I do feel like i was lied to when it comes to all the assurances made about states being able to make their own tax policy.

This Apple thing could open a pandoras box and could be a slide towards a more federal Europe, something that myself and I assume alot of people here and across europe do not want.

> Who made the EU Commission the judge, jury and executioner?

I don't think this is a fair assessment of the case. The EU Commission have accused Apple and Ireland of unfair competition. They now have time to appeal that decision, after which it will be put before the EU high court, a court that is entirely distinct from the Commission.

Think of the EU Commission more as a police investigation, one which one has the opportunity to appeal through the judicial system. Hell, I am not even sure the Commission counts as any of judge, jury and executioner.

removed, no point talking politics on a tech site

But this case has nothing to with tax harmonization. It's about illegal state subsidies given to a specific company, with a tax ruling just being a vehicle for the subsidy.

Alleged illegal subsidies! No evidence of a special deal or of state aid has been released publicly. Ireland confirms that Apple has paid all tax due and stated that there was no preference given. Let's wait for the court to decide.

Once again you don't understand the issue. Please read against about it. If Ireland sets their tax to 0.005% tomorrow that'll be fine in the eyes of the EU and they won't (nor can't) do shit about it.

This is not a tax issue. Full stop. Doesn't matter how much you say it is by using your throwaway account.

The EU commission are judge jury and executioner because Eire are cheating the rest of the EU by being a tax haven. They are booking sales made throughout the EU in Eire purely artificially and Apple paying v little tax on them.

The EU are judge jury and executioner because Eire are part of the single market of free trade and free movement. So they are asserting Apple and Eire stop taking us for a ride.

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