Purposely chose it 37 years ago before the EU was even a glint in anyone's eye? I find it quite amusing that people here are calling Apple and especially Tim Cook, criminals.I just find it funny that they purposely chose ireland because they knew they could manipulate their taxes there. And now that the loophole is closed and the EU wants the money Apple avoided by using those loopholes in Ireland, Apple screams foul.
listen, you may not like the decision Cook, but you had to know it was a possibility when you purposely chose a tax jurisdiction you knew to be questionable.
It seems to me the EU commission is trying to tell a sovereign nation that it does not have the right to govern its own tax rates as it sees fit, and it sets a dangerous precedent. It is similar (though not exactly the same, in fact even more severe) as the US government telling Nevada that it's income tax (there is no additional state income tax there, along with 6 other states) laws are illegal. Who are the EU commission to tell Ireland, I repeat, a sovereign nation, that the laws that they have ratified as a democraticly elected government are to be declared invalid.
This decision will be overturned eventually as it will never stand up when it comes down to choosing between Ireland leaving the EU (which they would be prepared to do over this, in all probability) and creating an even weaker membership, or the active decision for membership States to give up their sovereignty to this degree.
Just IMHO, of course, but people are jumping the gun here. It isn't like Apple just started operating in Ireland last year under Cook's leadership.