€13B legal win over Apple made me cry, says shocked EU competition chief

Margrethe Vestager, the European Union’s competition chief, said Tuesday a surprise court victory over Apple made her cry.

The EU’s top court reversed a previous ruling to reinstate Vestager’s 2016 finding that Apple’s tax arrangements with Ireland racked up some €13 billion in illegal state aid. The judgment was a shock since Vestager had lost earlier tax cases involving Amazon and Engie.

“It was a win that made me cry because it is very important,” Vestager told a press conference in Brussels. “It’s very important to show European taxpayers that once in a while tax justice can be done.

“With the losses that we have had, you know, everybody around me, they said: ‘Brace for negative impact,'” she said.

“So this is very positive and I had prepared for a stiff upper lip, facing a possible defeat.”

“On a scale from one to 100 of surprise and no surprise, I think I’m in 99,” she said.

Vestager said the case showed “taxpayers that there can be fairness” and that big companies are “not above the law when it comes to taxation.”

“I was ready to face the loss but it was the win that made me cry,” she added. “It’s better with the win today.”