Apple wins €13bn tax case against European Union

Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL)  has won a major victory over the European Union after a court ruled it would not have to pay €13bn in back taxes as it had not broken competition laws. The EU demanded the iPhone maker pay the money for tax incurred in Ireland following a ruling by the European Commission in 2016. But the EU's General Court said the case against Apple was not proven, though it gave a 14-day window for an appeal to the European Court of Justice. Margrethe Vestager, the EU Competition Commissioner who brought the case, said she would "study the judgment and reflect on possible next steps". A statement by Apple said the case is about how it is required to pay tax. “We're proud to be the largest taxpayer in the world as we know the important role tax payments play in society." The Irish government had also appealed against the original decision and said it had "always been clear" Apple received no special treatment.