In a pair of major rulings handed out on Tuesday, the European Court of Justice ordered Apple to pay 13 billion euros in unpaid taxes to Ireland and upheld a 2.4-billion-euro antitrust fine against Google.
The European Union's highest court confirmed the European Commission's 2016 decision. In 2016, the European Commission ruled that companies within the Apple Group had received unlawful tax advantages worth 13 billion euros in the form of State aid provided by Ireland from 1991 to 2014.
The EU General Court annulled the Commission's decision in 2020, saying the Commission had not sufficiently proven that the companies involved had received a selective advantage.
Tuesday's ruling by the Court of Justice overturned the earlier decision. "The Court of Justice gives final judgment in the matter and confirms the European Commission's 2016 decision: Ireland granted Apple unlawful aid which Ireland is required to recover," the court said in a press release.
Margrethe Vestager, executive vice president of the European Commission for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age, hailed Tuesday's court ruling as "a big win for European citizens and for tax justice." "This means that the recovered taxes, which have been in an escrow account for quite some years in Ireland during the ongoing court proceedings, now must be released to the Irish State," she said.
In a separate case, Google on Tuesday lost its final court appeal against an EU fine of 2.4 billion euros, for abuse of its dominant position by favoring its own comparison shopping service.
In 2017, the Commission determined that in 13 countries within the European Economic Area, Google prioritized its own comparison shopping service by displaying it at the top of its general search results. The Commission then concluded that Google had abused its dominant position in the markets for online general searches and for specialized product searches, and imposed the fine.
Following a lower court's ruling to uphold the Commission's decision and maintain that fine, Google and its parent firm Alphabet appealed to the Court of Justice.
"By today's judgment, the Court of Justice dismisses the appeal and thus upholds the judgment of the General Court," the court said in a press release.
The Court of Justice said that EU law does not sanction the existence of a dominant position, but only its abusive exploitation.
Top EU court rules against Apple, Google in tax, antitrust cases
Top EU court rules against Apple, Google in tax, antitrust cases
The rising popularity of Guochao, also known as the trend of "China-chic", has contributed to a consumption boom and more diversified consumption scenarios ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
China-chic refers to fashion trends native to China, which incorporates unique native cultural elements into the latest trends.
For this year's Mid-Autumn Festival, the brand-new event "The Empress's Mid-Autumn Feast" at the Mingtang Tiantang Scenic Area in the National Archaeological Site Park of Sui-Tang Luoyang City in central China's Henan Province has attracted many visitors.
Through interactive experiences such as the performance of court music and dance, and the Empress Wu Zetian bestowing incense, it recreated the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) palace, allowing visitors to fully immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere of the holiday.
The "Hanfu craze" in Luoyang City has led to an increase in the number of tourists visiting scenic spots and has extended the overall economic chain. This trend has boosted the popularity of services such as Hanfu rental, makeup and styling, and professional photography, making them widely popular.
In Luoyang's Luanchuan County, activities such as the "Fairy Palace Moon Viewing Party" at the peak of the Laojun Mountain, which stands over 2,000 meters above sea level, have driven a surge in business for the Hanfu stores at the mountain's summit, leading to a peak in consumer activity.
"This year's Mid-Autumn Festival is witnessing an increase of over 50 percent in Hanfu rentals and sales, as well as travel photography services, compared with the same period last year. With such beautiful scenery as a backdrop, the demand for traditional China-chic consumption remains strong," said Jin Ge, owner of a Hanfu store atop the Laojun Mountain.
Driven by the rise of China-chic, creative cultural products are continuously updated with new offerings.
At a glazed glass workshop in Zibo City, east China's Shandong, skilled workers were busy crafting creative glassworks featuring lively jade rabbits, a symbol of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
As soon as the products hit the market, they quickly became popular both online and offline.
"While inheriting tradition, we've been exploring something new, developing creative products that better meet current market demands, thus winning the favor of a wide range of consumers," said Liu Jianhua, deputy general manager of Xiye Workshop.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, is a cherished occasion for family reunions in China. It falls on September 17 this year.
China-chic boom fuels consumption for Mid-Autumn Festival
