The European Commission announced the closure of its state aid investigations into tax rulings granted to Amazon, Fiat, and Starbucks by Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Initially, the Commission had ruled in 2015 and 2017 that these nations provided the companies with selective tax advantages that breached EU state aid rules. The allegations were part of broader efforts to address unfair tax practices within the European Union.
EU courts, however, annulled the Commission’s decisions in subsequent legal challenges, ruling that the tax arrangements did not constitute illegal state aid. As a result, the Commission concluded that the companies had not violated EU rules and formally ended the investigations.
The cases underscore the complexities of enforcing tax harmonisation across EU member states. Critics of the initial rulings argued that such cases reflect the challenges of balancing national tax sovereignty with EU-wide competition regulations. The closures may also influence future policies on corporate taxation in Europe.
EVEN COMPANIES that do not export to Europe will need to comply with the European Union’s (EU) Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (Philexport)
The cryptocurrency market faces significant risks due to overvaluation and the centralization of token ownership, according to a recent report from Binance. The report warns that if these challenges
Press Release from Carey Olsen, Thursday 20 February, 2025. Carey Olsen’s corporate team in Singapore has acted as Cayman legal counsel to GCL Global Limited (“GCL”), one of Asia’s
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