Apple paid €5m to Dutch tax authorities last year: Volkskrant

Computer giant Apple, under fire at home in the US for avoiding tax, paid an estimated €5m to the Dutch tax office last year, according to calculations by the Volkskrant.

The Volkskrant says the company booked estimated turnover of €2bn in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg last year. Of this, just 0.2% went on Dutch taxes, the paper claims.

The paper bases its claims on an analysis of the financial dealings of Apple Benelux BV, which is based above the company’s store on Amsterdam’s Leidseplein.

On paper, Apple Benelux turned over €42m last year but in practice the sum is far higher, the paper says. The company does not give individual country breakdowns, but a recent advert for a new Benelux financial controller indicated turnover in the three countries is some $2.5bn – or €1.95bn.

It is unclear how much profit Apple makes on its Benelux activities, the paper states. Chamber of commerce documents indicate profit is transferred to Ireland because Apple Benelux BV is a subsidiary of Apple Sales Ireland.

The Apple store in Amsterdam, however, is run by Apple Retail Netherlands BV, based in Zuidoost. This is run by a trust office and is part of Apple Retail Europe Holding, also based in Ireland.

More on Apple’s tax record

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