I-Ireland iphendula iKhomishini yaseYurophu: 'I-Apple ayisikweleta'

I-Ireland ijoyine i-Apple ekudluliseni isinqumo se-European Commission lapho bekhombisa khona ukuthi i-Apple ikweleta izwe imali engaphezu kwama-dollar ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane eziyi-14 ngentela emuva.

Iphalamende lase-Ireland livotele u-93 (umusa) kwabangu-36 (bamelana) ngoLwesithathu ebusuku ukuzodlulisa isinqumo ngesinqumo esiphume ngesonto eledlule. Uhulumeni manje usegxile ekuceleni iKhomishini yase-Europe ukuthi iguqule isinqumo sayo, okukhombisa ukuthi bekunokuphathwa kwentela "okukhethekile" kusuka e-Ireland ne-Apple kusuka ngo-2003 kuya ku-2014.

I-Ireland ingathola imali eyi-13 billion euros ($ 14.5 billion) ngemali engenayo yentela ngalesi sinqumo, kodwa izikhulu zikahulumeni kanye nabomthetho bakusho lokho ukubeka le nhlawulo kungalimaza isithunzi sezwe njengendawo enhle yokwenza ibhizinisi.

Ngemuva kophenyo lweminyaka emibili, i-European Commission yaphetha ngokuthi i-Apple yakhokha ama-euro angama-500 kuphela kwisigidi semali eyinzuzo ngo-2003 nokuthi izinga lehla laya kuma-euro angama-50 ngezigidi ezingama-euro ngo-2014.

I-Apple ingenye yezinkampani ezivelele zomhlaba wonke ezisebenza e-Ireland, izwe elenze lukhulu ukuheha utshalomali lwangaphandle oluqondile kumashumi eminyaka amuva nje. I-Apple inabasebenzi ababalelwa ku-6.000 XNUMX kuleli futhi ithembise ukungayeki noma inciphise utshalomali lwayo lapho ngenxa yesinqumo se-European Commission.

Ngemuva kwenkulumompikiswano ngoLwesithathu olwedlule nje, abomthetho bavote bephikisana nezichibiyelo eziningi ebezimisile noma ezibambezele ukudluliswa kwesicelo. Ukuvota kokugcina kuphele ngo-10 ebusuku (isikhathi sendawo), ngemuva nje kokuthi u-Apple aqede umcimbi wawo, lapho kwethulwa khona i-iPhone 7 eSan Francisco.

Abaholi base-Ireland abebenxenxa lesi sikhalazo bathi ukubuyela ekuphathweni kwentela i-Apple ekuthole eminyakeni yamuva kungabethusa abanye osomabhizinisi bangaphandle. Isinqumo se-European Commission sisekelwe emithethweni eyayingabikho ngisho ngaleso sikhathibathi.

“Ukungaqiniseki kuyabethusa abatshalizimali futhi kudala ukulibaziseka kotshalomali. Ngoba i-Apple ayisikweleta, ”kusho uMary Mitchell O'Connor, uNgqongqoshe Wezabasebenzi, Ibhizinisi Nezokusungula kanye neLungu lePhalamende.

Ngakolunye uhlangothi, abaphikisi baphikisana nezwe elwa nesinqumo esasingangeza izigidigidi esikhwameni sikahulumeni.

Isikhulu esiphezulu kwa-Apple uTim Cook ngesonto eledlule sithe isinqumo se-European Commission 'udoti wezepolitiki«, Esho ukuthi bobabili i-Apple ne-Ireland bathobele imithetho.