The European Union is not particularly friendly with several major US tech corporations, including Apple, and now the newly sworn-in President Trump is voicing his opinions on the matter.
EU rulings against Apple and others labeled ‘a form of taxation’ by US President
US President Donald Trump made a virtual appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he expressed a range of criticisms towards the EU.
Julia Shapero reports for The Hill:
President Trump voiced his concerns about the European Union (EU) on Wednesday, condemning the organization for imposing significant fines on the largest tech companies in the world, describing it as a “form of taxation” on American businesses.
“They won $15 or $16 billion from Apple. They won billions from Google. I believe they’re pursuing Facebook for billions and billions.”
“These are American companies,” he asserted. “Regardless of personal opinions, they represent American interests, and such actions are inappropriate. In my view, it constitutes a form of taxation. Hence, we have substantial grievances with the EU.”
The referenced payment from Apple pertains to a prolonged legal conflict concerning Irish taxes, which has recently come to a conclusion. The EU determined that Apple’s tax agreement with Ireland was unlawful and mandated the company to pay considerable back taxes.
Besides defending American tech companies, Trump also addressed the broader context of the EU’s economic strategies.
Trump remarked, “The EU treats us exceedingly unfairly, very poorly… We are facing deficits of hundreds of billions of dollars with the EU. Nobody is satisfied with this situation, and we intend to take action.”
DMN’s Perspective
These remarks, made just days into his presidency, suggest that Apple’s relationship with the EU is becoming increasingly complex.
It will be intriguing to observe how Trump’s second term may influence the prospects of Apple and other US tech companies under the scrutiny of the EU, not only concerning financial issues but also on pressing matters like App Store regulations.
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