Apple has agreed with France on a payment of tax arrears. The US group confirmed corresponding media reports, without mentioning an exact sum. The company merely stated to be “proud” of his contribution to the French economy. The French financial administration, relying on the tax secret. The French magazine L’Express, and the news Agency AFP, Apple will pay a total of 500 million euros.

digital companies such as Apple, Facebook and Google achieve high sales and profits, but pay taxes as they have seats in most of the countries, there is no taxable companies. The EU is discussing the introduction of a so-called digital tax, especially France. A common with Germany, developed a proposal, however, was encountered most recently in the case of other EU Finance Ministers to reject. The two countries had argued for a Three-percent sales tax only on online advertising revenues.

The European Commission had originally proposed to impose for companies with a global annual turnover of at least EUR 750 million as well as an online turnover of 50 million Euro in Europe’s three percent sales tax. Taxed income and income from trading with user data for advertising.

Several countries are planning national tax

EU decisions in tax matters must be taken unanimously. This makes agreement particularly difficult. The French government is about to pass, therefore, at the end of February a draft law for a digital tax. France expects additional revenue of around 500 million euros in 2019.

Austria announced recently, to do not want to wait until the EU decides on tax for digital companies. The outgoing member of the EU, the UK is also planning its own digital expensive.