Category: Fiat

The Fiat and Starbucks state aid tax cases: an absolute loss for legal certainty.

In late September, the EU General Court released its decisions in two long-awaited state aid appeals: Fiat (cases T-755/15 Luxembourg v Commission and T-759/15 Fiat Chrysler Finance Europe v Commission) and Starbucks (cases T-760/15 Netherlands v. Commission and T-636/16 Starbucks and Starbucks Manufacturing Emea v. Commission). ... - Continue reading

EU court backs use of arm’s length principle to assess Starbucks, Fiat APAs for state aid violation

The EU General Court today released long-awaited rulings in the Fiat and Starbucks tax state aid cases, concluding in both decisions that it is appropriate for the European Commission to assess whether an advance pricing agreement (APA) confers a selective advantage to a taxpayer for state aid purposes by referring to the arm’s length principle. ... - Continue reading

McDonald’s Luxembourg tax deal not illegal

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – McDonald’s tax deal with Luxembourg did not breach EU state aid rules, EU antitrust regulators ruled on Wednesday, saying the reason the US fast food chain did not pay some taxes was due to the mismatch between US and Luxembourg laws. The decision by the European Commission… – Continue reading

Luxembourg to sharpen tax rules for intra-group financing

Luxembourg on Tuesday said it would sharpen its corporate tax rules, making it more difficult for large corporations to avoid tax by channelling funds through the small European country, a practice exposed in media reports known as “LuxLeaks”. The rules, entering into force on Jan. 1, firm up the “arm’s… – Continue reading

EU opens probe into tax deals between Luxembourg and Engie

European Union antitrust regulators opened a probe on Monday into tax deals granted by Luxembourg to French power utility Engie, stepping up the EU’s campaign against tax avoidance by multinationals. The European Commission said it had concerns the tax rulings granted by Luxembourg since 2008 appeared to treat the same… – Continue reading

EU countries eye potential share of Apple windfall

Potential slice of the Apple pie stems from Commission’s invitation to EU tax authorities. BRATISLAVA — The €13 billion clawback of unpaid taxes from U.S. tech giant Apple has piqued the interests of EU finance ministers, who have today asked the European Commission for more details on the potential share… – Continue reading

Luxembourg may be focus of another Brussels tax inquiry

After state aid inquiries into Amazon and McDonald’s, EU looks again at Luxembourg The European Commission may open a fresh investigation into tax rulings offered by Luxembourg as early as this week, as EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager continues her clampdown against corporate tax avoidance. Luxembourg is already awaiting a… – Continue reading

EU tax probes could threaten international agreements, US warns

The US has warned the EU that it risks damaging international agreements on tax reform if it continues to act as a “supra-national tax authority”. The US Treasury Department “shares the European Commission’s concern with tax avoidance by multinational firms. The international community, including the EU and its member states,… – Continue reading

Italy Investigates Amazon for Alleged Tax Avoidance

Amazon’s Italy chief tells Bloomberg the company is cooperating with the authorities European Union member states continue their crackdown on American companies that they believe have avoided tax payments. Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) is the latest company under investigation for its tax dealings in Italy, the company’s chief for Italy and… – Continue reading

Lawmakers Quiz Apple, Google, IKEA and McDonald’s Over Tax Avoidance

In their latest attempt to try to stamp out tax avoidance by multinationals in the European Union, lawmakers are set to question Apple, Google, IKEA and McDonald’s over their tax affairs as EU member states fail to agree a common tax policy. Lawmakers in the EU have struggled to prevent… – Continue reading

Banksters making the U.S. a tax shelter?

Just when you thought the banksters had done all they could to rig the game against people that bail them out, you hear another tale of industrial-strength greed. This time, the scam is so ironic it’s almost absurd. For almost a decade the U.S. government has been going around the… – Continue reading

EU Tax Proposal Expected To Target Multinational Corporations

Large multinational corporations such as Amazon.com, Apple, Google and Starbucks with operations in Europe have long been able to keep the tax rate they pay in one country secret, not only from neighboring nations but also from their competitors. Critics say this lack of transparency has allowed companies to unfairly… – Continue reading

Unions Blast Loopholes in New EU Tax Avoidance Proposals

A collective of unions has slammed the latest proposals by the European Commission to stamp out elaborate tax plans used by multinational companies to move vast profits around the EU in an effort to reduce their corporate tax bills in member states. The European Commission last week published a series… – Continue reading

EU to clamp down on corporate tax avoidance schemes

Multinational companies are facing severe constraints on their ability to avoid taxes on their activities in Europe as regulators seek to close loopholes laid bare by the LuxLeaks scandal Pierre Moscovici, the EU’s tax policy chief, will set out plans next week to curb practices such as using debt interest… – Continue reading

MEPs want companies tax dodges repaid into EU budget

The proceeds from illegal tax breaks brokered between an EU state and a multinational company, known as clawbacks, should be returned either to the EU budget or to the coffer of other states unfairly deprived of the money, according to MEPs. The idea was endorsed by the European parliament in… – Continue reading

EC Extends Investigation Into Apple Tax Deal

The European Commission has extended its investigation into a tax ruling provided by the Irish Government to Apple. The Commission has asked the Irish authorities for additional information on the case. Irish media reports that the Government does not anticipate a decision until 2016. In late November, Finance Minister Michael… – Continue reading

LUXEMBOURG’S LUXLEAKS DEAL

Journal: The EU’s ongoing investigation into Luxembourg’s tax agreements with multinational corporations is threatening to leave a black mark on the Grand Duchy at the end of its six-month European presidency. Luxembourg’s finance ministry could face legal action from the European Commission, as the EU authority continues its probe into… – Continue reading

MEPs to Commission: make member states share tax information and protect whistle-blowers

Tax evasion costs the EU €1 trillion a year in lost tax revenue, according to the European Commission. The Lux leaks scandal showed that EU countries sometimes court multinationals with advantageous tax schemes. These practices were investigated by the Parliament’s special committee on tax rulings. MEPs adopted its report last… – Continue reading

TAXE: Have We Taken the Right Path To Ensure Fairer and More Efficient Taxation in the European Union?

After the LuxLeaks affair in November 2014, the European Parliament established a special committee “on tax rulings and other measures similar in nature or effect” (TAXE) in February 2015. The committee’s report was adopted in a plenary session of the European Parliament on 25 November 2015. The Conference of Presidents… – Continue reading

EU adopts new transparency rules

The EU Council has adopted a new transparency directive aimed at preventing corporate tax avoidance The directive, which was proposed by the European Commission (EC), is aimed at improving transparency on tax rulings given by member states to companies about how their taxes are calculated. Under the new directive, member… – Continue reading

Commission should speed up and expand Google competition investigation, MEPs say

The EU Commission should investigate why Google offers its “Android” operating system only in conjunction with other Google services and also why manufacturers allegedly may not pre-install rival products; MEPs say in a response to the Commission’s annual competition report for 2014. Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee MEPs approved the… – Continue reading

Luxembourg says to appeal against EU tax ruling on Fiat

The Luxembourg government said on Friday that it would appeal against the European Commission’s decision ordering it to recover 20-30 million euros ($22-33 million) of back taxes from Fiat Chrysler. The Commission ruled in October that Fiat had benefited from illegal tax deals with the Luxembourg authorities, as well as… – Continue reading

McDonald’s Investigated for European Tax Evasion

The U.S. multinational will likely be investigated for evading taxes with Luxembourg’s help, following a report by trade unions earlier this year. McDonald’s is under investigation by European Union regulators for illegal tax deals with Luxembourg, according to sources close to the inquiry. The multinational—joining a list of EU tax… – Continue reading

Luxembourg finance minister attacks EU on business tax uncertainty

The European Commission’s use of state aid rules to challenge corporate tax agreements is causing uncertainly for businesses in Europe, Luxembourg finance minister Pierre Gramegna has said. Gramegna told the Financial Times this week that the situation “raises so many issues about predictability and certainty”. The Commission announced in October… – Continue reading

MEPs back corporate tax reforms

The European Parliament has overwhelmingly approved a suite of corporate tax reforms that will ensure multinational companies pay taxes where profits are made and increase transparency. A total of 508 MEPs voted in favour of the adoption of recommendations put forward by the Special Committee on Tax Rulings last month…. – Continue reading

Tough debate with multinational companies on corporate tax practices

MEPs grilled eleven multinational companies on their corporate tax practices in a five-hour debate with the Special Committee on Tax Rulings on Monday. These companies had declined the committee’s first invitation to appear before it, but later changed their minds and accepted its last chance invitation. Of the 13 original… – Continue reading

Taxes: Google quizzed by EU

Brussels – Google and Facebook were among US companies facing questions on Monday from European Union lawmakers about their tax-reducing techniques, a month after regional antitrust regulators raised the stakes by ordering Starbucks and a Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV unit to repay millions of euros in back taxes. The queries… – Continue reading

Taxing issue: multinationals respond to EP proposals to make them pay their fair share

€1 trillion a year: that’s how much tax evasion and tax avoidance is costing European tax payers every year, according to the European Commission. Parliament set up a special committee to investigate these practices in the wake of the Luxleaks scandals and came up with plans to ensure multinationals pay… – Continue reading

Two states ordered to recover unpaid corporation tax

Luxembourg and Netherlands must recoup unpaid tax from Fiat and Starbucks of €20m-€30 each The European Commission has ordered Luxembourg and the Netherlands to recover unpaid tax from Fiat and Starbucks in the region of €20 million to €30 million each. On October 21st, competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager condemned tax… – Continue reading

ANDY: IS OUR “ECONOMIC RECOVERY” BASED ON A SILICON BUBBLE?

Irish corporation tax returns are behaving oddly: the Department of Finance estimates that they are running €2 billion (74 percent) ahead of forecast for the year. Economist Seamus Coffey has described these figures as “very strange”. Coincidentally (or perhaps not) the global accounts of the Apple corporation revealed an increase… – Continue reading

Apple confident ahead of European Union tax judgement

Apple chief executive Tim Cook said he was feeling “pretty good” ahead of the European Union’s judgement on its Irish tax arrangements, as the company announced 1,000 new jobs in Ireland on Wednesday. Ireland’s tax arrangements with the US tech giant are under investigation by the EU to see if… – Continue reading

EU calls corporations to account for low-tax deals

European Union lawmakers have called 13 multinational companies to a meeting next week to talk about the low-tax deals they have struck with EU jurisdictions, reports CBC News. Among the companies to be questioned on Nov. 16 will be Amazon.com, Disney, Coca-Cola Co, Anheuser-Busch InBev NV, HSBC Holdings, Ikea Group… – Continue reading

EU to rule on Apple tax avoidance by Christmas

Ireland is expecting European Union regulators to issue a decision on the country’s tax deal with Apple before the end of the year. The Irish finance minister said the move could force the iPhone maker to pay substantial back taxes. The European Commission has already ordered Dutch authorities to recover… – Continue reading

Europe May Not Be a Tax Haven for U.S. Multinationals Much Longer

FRANKFURT (The Street) — Europe’s allure as a tax haven for U.S. multinationals may be coming to an end. That’s because European Union regulators are closing up tax loopholes that U.S. companies have been enjoying for years. The first two to feel the heat are Starbucks (SBUX – Get Report)… – Continue reading

NGOs slam EU’s ‘two-faced’ approach to tax

Tax systems within the European Union remain largely secretive and opaque despite leaders’ claims that measures are underway to fix loopholes, the European Network on Debt and Development (Eurodad) has said. The coalition of 46 NGOs from 20 European countries including Oxfam, Save the Children and ActionAid said that, while… – Continue reading

Apple Shifts a Record $50 Billion Overseas, Admits It Has Paid Miniscule to No Tax on Offshore Cash

For the die-hard fans who lined up around the block to purchase Apple’s latest iPhone last month, it’s hardly news that the California-based company still lives up to its reputation for technological innovation. The world’s No. 1 smart phone manufacturer last week released its annual financial report revealing it also… – Continue reading

The European Commission qualified member states’ tax rulings as state aid

On 21 October 2015, the European Commission decided that a tax ruling between Starbucks and the Netherlands should be considered illegal state aid. As a consequence, the European Commission ordered the Dutch State to recover the aid granted to a Dutch Starbucks group company (Starbucks Manufacturing EMEA B.V.), which is… – Continue reading

EU: Special Committee on Tax Rulings votes recommendations

Parliament’s Special Committee on Tax Rulings recommended measures to make corporate taxes in the EU fairer and more transparent, after eight months of fact finding, in a vote Monday evening in Strasbourg, EU News reports. The report – prepared by co-rapporteurs Elisa Ferreira and Michael Theurer – was approved by… – Continue reading

EU Lawmakers Set to Vote on Tax Avoidance in Split Europe

Lawmakers at the European Parliament are set to vote on a controversial series of proposals to harmonize the corporate tax system in Europe in a move that will put them on a collision course with some member states which favor sovereignty over taxation. The EU lawmakers on the TAXE committee… – Continue reading

European Union: Tax Advantages For Fiat In Luxembourg And Starbucks In The Netherlands Deemed Unlawful Under EU State Aid Rules

The European Commission (“Commission”) ruled on 21 October that tax advantages granted by Luxembourg to Fiat and by the Netherlands to Starbucks by means of advance tax rulings were unlawful under the EU State aid rules. The two Member States will be required to recover the aid, in each case… – Continue reading

Is Europe Honest Enough To Deal With Tax-Dodgers?

The EU tax rulings against Starbucks and Fiat Chrysler are but trifles compared to the ones extant against Apple and Amazon. Everyone lies about tax. Holland said it followed international tax standards when everyone knows it’s a corporate tax haven. That’s why ST has its HQ there. Ireland and Luxembourg… – Continue reading

Europe wants to get to the core of our Apple issue

The European Commission looks highly likely to make a finding against Ireland in relation to its tax arrangements with Apple, following two similar findings during the week involving Starbucks and Fiat. It is perplexing that the EC doesn’t just come out and make the announcement. The delay is leading to… – Continue reading

Corporate Pressure For US International Tax Reform

Major US investor Carl C. Icahn and the Chief Executive Officer of TechNet, Linda Moore, have both recently written letters to leading lawmakers pointing out that the passage of international tax reform by Congress has become a matter of extreme urgency. In his letter, Icahn announced that “the time has… – Continue reading

European Commission adopts first two decisions in EU tax probe in push for corporate tax reform

On 21 October, the European Commission (“EC”) adopted its first decisions in its investigation into Member States’ tax rulings. The investigation, which began in June 2013, has also targeted tax rulings given to Apple and Amazon as well as Belgium’s so-called “excess profits regime”. Although the investigation is conducted under… – Continue reading

Starbucks and Fiat Chrysler’s tax avoidance deals to be ruled illegal

Companies face multimillion-euro repayment bills after EC’s 15-month investigation. Rulings on Amazon and Apple will follow Starbucks and Fiat Chrysler are expected to be billed for tens of millions of euros in additional taxes as the European commission prepares to rule that they had unlawful deals with the Netherlands and… – Continue reading

EU tax: Brussels set for multinational crackdown

Margrethe Vestager, the EU’s competition commissioner, looks set to launch the international community’s most punitive attack on corporate tax avoidance as early as next Wednesday, with rulings that could impose heavy costs on multinationals, reports the Financial Times. Ms Vestager is understood to have postponed her first trip to China… – Continue reading

Ireland tweaks tax regime to divert avoidance criticism

The Irish government is set to make further changes to the country’s corporate tax regime as it seeks to align itself with a global initiative to clamp down on corporate tax avoidance, reports the Financial Times. The change being considered will oblige companies that have global headquarters in Ireland to… – Continue reading

Corporate tax regime to face renewed scrutiny

EU member states to reveal information on tax rulings offered to companies Ireland’s corporate tax regime is to come under renewed scrutiny next week as EU finance ministers sign off on a proposal obliging member states to reveal information on tax rulings offered to companies. EU finance ministers meeting in… – Continue reading