
Apple is being put in the tax man's hot seat once again, but this time with the French government.
According to reports out of Europe today, Apple is being compelled to cough up some major bread to satisfy tax debts dating back to 2011. French association SACEM recently determined that Apple fell short of paying an estimated 5 million euros (or $6.5 million in US dollars) in royalties and taxes on iPads that were sold in France in 2011.
If you're not familiar with the SACEM, this body governs royalties distribution in France.
In France (same goes for Germany), there is a special tax levied on any and all digital devices capable of transferring, reading, or distributing copyrighted materials. In France, this taxed amount is received by the SACEM. From there, the funds are collected, assessed, and distributed accordingly among the creators/participants of the copyrighted content.
The issue with regard to this matter isn't that Apple failed to collect this tax. Apple did collected the added fees, we're told. The problem is that Apple simply failed to fork over the funds to the SACEM.
Apple has not yet offered formal comment on this taxing new matter.
Source: TNW
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