Roger Fingas
Apple CEO Tim Cook will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, according to an official agenda item, marking just his second official visit to France as CEO.
The event will take place at 4:15 p.m. local time, or 10:15 a.m. Eastern. No discussion topics have been made public.
Cook could use the opportunity to pressure Macron on taxes, since the French and German governments have been spearheading efforts to close European loopholes used by multinational corporations. Apple in particular has exploited Irish rules to pay taxes as low as 0.005 percent, despite funneling billions of dollars in international revenue through the country.
The Irish government has been ordered to collect at least $15 billion in back taxes from Apple, compensating for what the European Commission has ruled was illegal state aid. The country's slow pace recently resulted in the Commission deciding to take Ireland to court.
Cook will likely address other topics he commonly raises with international leaders, such as educational initiatives and the company's future investments, if any.
Charles Martin
Christine McKee
Oliver Haslam
William Gallagher
39 Comments
Why wouldn’t Apple want to pay its fair share?
Because Tim's compassion with social issues is only a facade. His pokerface hides a mere supercapitalist ego. I wouldn't know what Macron has to discuss with him (both seem excellent in vacuum talk) unless he pays a fair share of taxes. Cancel his flight back and put him in a prison for a couple of weeks ("Wellcumme zoo ze Baztillje, ze bhest place ien Frahnce veur yuu")