Apple faces €13bn Tax Bill in Ireland

[Anomalocaris]

Actually,  what seems to be missed here is the apple's not paying taxes is not culpably illegal.  Irish government, after all, should be the authority to which Apple look to clarify the legality of its tax situation.

It is the Irish government that did a illegal thing, under obligations it committed to by joining the EU, by allowing Apple to pay effectively no taxes.

So the party at fault here is not Apple.

Actually, by agreeing to the tax arrangement, and in fact lobbying for it, Apple are at best an accessory to the breach of European law and more likely at least as guilty as the Irish politicians. Or do you think this happened without the knowledge, concent and gleeful participation by Apple?

Apple is an accessory to knowing its own best interest.   If it weren't it would have been out of business in the 1970s. Pursuing its own best interest within the full range of freedoms afforded it by prevailing regulatory authority it is what it does. It has no legal responsibility to second guess the range of freedom to pursue its self interest provided to it by the government of Ireland.    The government of Ireland is responsible for knowing the degree to which Apple can pursue its own best interest without harming the greater interest of Ireland and Irish commitment to the EU.  Not knowing that is culpable incompetence.