Google isn’t responsible for five years of back taxes in France.
Screenshot by Claudia Cruz/CNET
Google won a major victory in one of its many court battles when a Paris court dismissed a €1.11 billion ($1.27 billion) tax bill levied against the tech giant.
Paris’ administrative tribunal ruled Wednesday that Google’s advertising business doesn’t have a taxable presence in France, absolving it of responsibility for five years of back taxes for a period ending in 2010. The tax authority had accused Google of routing ad sales in the country through its Irish-based subsidiary.
Google said in a statement the ruling “has confirmed Google abides by French tax law and international standards,” adding, “We remain committed to France and the growth of its digital economy.”
The ruling is a victory amid a series of legal challenges Google has faced across Europe on concerns including taxes, competition and privacy.
Last month, the European Union slapped Google with a 2.42 billion euro ($2.72 billion) fine for favoring its own shopping services in its search results over those of rivals. The fine is the biggest antitrust penalty the EU has ever applied to a single company, exceeding the $1 billion fine handed to Intel in 2009.
The EU has also taken aim at Google for its Android operating system, expressing concern that consumers will automatically use Google’s built-in apps, rather than explore other options. The Competition Commission has also found the internet giant systematically abuses its dominance in search to promote its own shopping services.
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