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Levin Statement on European Commission Apple Ruling

August 30, 2016

WASHINGTON, DC – Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) today released the following statement on the European Commission's ruling in the Apple state-aid case:

"In criticizing the European Commission's decision, Treasury and everyone else must totally avoid legitimizing the practices of multinationals and some nations rigging the tax system so the companies pay little or no taxes for their operations. Private citizens can't do that; nor should multinational businesses. The Treasury Department has said that important progress has been made in working out international rules to avoid this, but the Republicans who criticize the European Commission's decision have thrown stones at the BEPS work that Treasury points to. Moreover, the Republicans have failed to act on this and other necessary tax issues even while in control of Congress. The argument that the European Commission is applying new law retroactively, which would be contrary to customary practice, will be litigated and must be done appropriately. But none of this is an excuse for the use of tax shelters or secret deals that ultimately allow multinational corporations to avoid paying their fair share."

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