European Commission Mandates Ireland Recover € 13 Billion in Improper Tax Benefits Granted to Apple

In a press release of August 30, 2016 issued by the European Commission, the Commission held that Ireland granted undue tax benefits of up to €13 billion to Apple pursuant to an agreement (rulings) that it entered into with Apple in 1991. This was “improper illegal aid” in clear violation of the EU state aid rules which state quite simply that “Member States cannot give tax benefits to selected companies..”. See Article 107(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).