库克暗示苹果离岸资金将转回美国

Apple expects to pay billions of dollars of extra taxes in the US next year when it brings home the offshore cash pile at the centre of its dispute with Brussels, the technology company’s chief executive said yesterday.

苹果(Apple)首席执行官昨日表示，在将处于与布鲁塞尔方面争端核心的离岸现金汇回国内后，该公司预计明年将在美国多缴纳数十亿美元税款。

Tim Cook told Ireland’s national broadcaster, RTE, Apple had set aside several billion dollars for the US for payment as soon as we repatriate some or all of its $215bn in overseas cash.

蒂姆•库克(Tim Cook)对爱尔兰国家电视台RTE表示，苹果已经留出数十亿美元用于向美国政府缴税——一旦该公司将其2150亿美元海外资金的部分或全部汇回美国。

Right now I would forecast that repatriation to occur next year, he said.

他说：目前，我预计明年会把资金汇回国内。

Mr Cook had previously said returning those funds to the US was contingent on a new American president introducing corporate tax reform that would lower the 35 per cent rate.

库克此前曾表示，是否将这些资金汇回美国将取决于新任美国总统会不会启动企业所得税改革，降低目前为35%的税率。

The argument between Apple and Brussels over a Euro13bn tax penalty escalated yesterday, as Mr Cook called the European Commission's decision invalid and crap and urged the Irish government to appeal.

昨日，苹果与布鲁塞尔之间围绕一份130亿欧元税收罚单的争吵再次升级，库克称欧盟委员会(European Commission)的裁决站不住脚、胡说八道，并敦促爱尔兰政府提起上诉。

Dublin was ordered by the commission on Tuesday to claw back up to Euro13bn from Apple after its tax arrangements in Ireland were judged to constitute illegal state aid.

周二，欧盟委员会要求都柏林向苹果追缴高达130亿欧元的税款，此前，苹果在爱尔兰的纳税安排被认定构成政府非法援助。

Apple has said the funds will be paid into an escrow account until an appeal is heard.

苹果表示，在上诉案获得审理之前，这些资金将被支付到一个托管账户。

Mr Cook lashed out at the commission’s claim that Apple paid only 0.005 per cent tax in Ireland in 2014, telling the Irish Independent newspaper that it was total political crap, adding: They just picked a number from I don’t know where.

库克猛批了欧盟委员会关于苹果2014年在爱尔兰仅按0.005%的税率缴税的断言，他对《爱尔兰独立报》(Irish Independent)表示，这完全是政治垃圾，并补充说：他们只是挑了一个我不知道从哪里来的数字。

The correct figure was $400m, he said.

他说，准确数字是4亿美元。

But the commission stands by its figures.

但欧盟委员会坚称其数字没错。

One person who has seen the Apple ruling said that $400m was significantly higher than the total Irish corporate tax liability of the US group’s Irish subsidiaries.

一位看过该裁决的人士称，4亿美元显著高于这家美国集团爱尔兰子公司在爱尔兰总的应纳税额。

This person speculated that Apple reached the figure by including other forms of taxation, not just corporate tax.

该人士猜测，苹果这一数字包括了其他形式的纳税，而不只是企业所得税。

Apple subsequently denied this.

苹果公司随后否认这种解读。