Then last month the firm was hit with a record-breaking £11 billion back tax bill after Brussels ruled it had entered an illegal “sweetheart deal” with the Irish government.
The world’s most valuable company was given “selective” treatment that allowed it to pay “substantially less tax than other businesses over many years”, according to a European Union regulator.
The Irish authorities have now been ordered to recover the tax — plus interest — from the Silicon Valley giant following a three-year investigation.
Apple reacted furiously to the ruling. The tech giant said in a statement that it would have “a profound and harmful effect on investment and job creation in Europe” and the company would launch an appeal.
