Apple loses lawsuit against EU antitrust ruling

Court upholds 2016 decision that Apple abused its dominant market position

Company ordered to pay $12 billion in back taxes

Apple has lost its appeal against a 2016 European Union antitrust ruling that found the company abused its dominant market position. The General Court of the European Union upheld the decision on Wednesday, ordering Apple to pay $12 billion in back taxes to the Irish government. The EU ruled earlier that Apple had benefited from an illegal tax break from the Irish government from 1991 to 2007. Apple has said it will appeal the decision.

The case has been closely watched as it could have implications for other companies that have been accused of using tax loopholes to reduce their tax bills. The EU has been cracking down on tax avoidance in recent years, and the Apple case is seen as a major victory for the bloc.

Apple has argued that it did not receive any special treatment from the Irish government, and that the tax ruling was based on a misunderstanding of the company's business model. However, the EU court found that Apple had "engaged in a complex scheme" to reduce its tax bill, and that the company had "abused its dominant position" in the market.

The decision is a major blow to Apple, which has been under increasing pressure from regulators around the world. The company has been accused of anti-competitive behavior in several other cases, and it is facing an investigation by the US Department of Justice into its App Store practices.

Key takeaways

• Apple has lost its appeal against a 2016 European Union antitrust ruling.
• The court has ordered Apple to pay $12 billion in back taxes to the Irish government.
• The EU ruled that Apple abused its dominant market position.
• The decision is a major victory for the EU, which has been cracking down on tax avoidance.
• Apple has said it will appeal the decision.