Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 31 January 2017

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach

EU State Aid Rules - Investigation into Preferential Tax Rulings: European Commissioner for Competition

12:30 pm

Ms Margrethe Vestager:

At least, to some degree, we know. As the Deputy will know, in the public version of the decision we analysed tax rulings from a number of branches. As he will also know, as there are no open investigations, we have not found sufficient reasons to be as concerned as we were in the Apple case to open cases. The nature of our work means that we ask questions. It is only when we open an investigation with a public statement - there is an opening statement and an opening procedure that eventually becomes public - that we have a true investigation. Before that, as part of our daily work, we ask a lot of questions. When we see something in the media, if people complain to us and unions, as they have done, make a comprehensive report, of course, we will look into it. Asking questions is our business and we try to find answers to retain our peace of mind. That is what we do. Sometimes one sees claims in the media that "They are asking questions about something, so now there is another case", but that is not necessarily the case. After getting the answers, maybe we are wiser and say, "Fine; we are not concerned." On the other hand, sometimes we may be. As the Deputy might know, we recently opened a case against the French company Engie and the tax rulings in Luxembourg. We are also investigating McDonald's that also has received tax rulings in Luxembourg.

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