Primarul Londrei sustine practicile fiscale ale Apple

Apple are parte de un sustinator neasteptat in lupta sa pentru a-si apara practicile fiscale din Europa, primarul Londrei sustinand acordul dintre Apple si guvernul irlandez pentru plata unor taxe reduse pentru profit si incasari nu ar trebui sa reprezinte o problema pentru Comisia Europeana.

Sustinerea lui Boris Johnson, primarul Londrei, vine la doar cateva zile dupa ce Google s-a inteles cu fiscul Marii Britanii pentru a plati 185 de milioane de dolari in taxe datorate din cauza unei intelegeri fiscale similare celei avute de catre compania Apple, ea fiind considerata ilegala.

Intr-un articol publicat in celebrul ziar The Telegraph, primarul Londrei afirma ca este in natura unei companii sa incerce sa isi reduca substantial taxele care trebuie platite statelor in care activeaza, ea avand datoria fata de actionari sa produca profit cat mai mare.

Johnson a atacat-o inclusiv pe sefa diviziei antitrust din Comisia Europeana, Margrethe Vestager, aceasta intalnindu-se saptamana trecuta cu Tim Cook in Europa pentru a discuta despre probleme cu plata taxelor de care Apple este acuzata.

A part of me that sides strongly with Tim Cook and Apple – or at least can see his point of view. It is absurd to blame the company for ‘not paying their taxes’. You might as well blame a shark for eating seals. It is the nature of the beast; and not only is it the nature of the beast – it is the law. It is the fiduciary duty of their finance directors to minimise tax exposure. They have a legal obligation to their shareholders.

Tax is not paid on the basis of what ‘feels right’ either to public opinion or to politicians. It is not some eleemosynary contribution. It is not as if we are all in church, and watching beadily to make sure that Tim Cook puts his £50 note into the collection basket. Tax is paid, and must be paid, in accordance with the strict requirements of the system.

Mai mult decat atat, Boris Johnson sustine ca daca Apple va fi obligata sa plateasca taxe retroactiv, suma de 16 miliarde de dolari fiind anuntata de catre primar, decizia Comisiei Europene ar fi contrara dorintelor guvernului irlandez care a oferi de buna voie beneficiile fiscale companiei Apple.

Mai multe detalii despre ceea ce afirma primarul Londrei gasiti in articolul celor de la The Telegraph.

The paradox of this whole case is that the Irish and Apple are on the same side. If Margrethe the Commissioner makes Apple give Dublin $16 billion in back taxes, that will actually be against the wishes of the Irish government.

The Irish decided they wanted to go for an ultra-low corporation tax, at 12.5 per cent. It was their sovereign ambition to attract the HQ of Apple and others. They wanted Irish taxi drivers to have the honour of ferrying Apple executives around, and they wanted Irish waitresses to snaffle their huge tips. The EU Commission is partly excited by the chance to bash a corporate American giant; but mainly it is a chance to attack tax arbitrage between member states – to move ever closer towards uniformity and away from a spirit of healthy competition between jurisdictions.