To 'end a tax audit,' Apple pays 212 million euros to Bercy

Apple has settled a tax dispute with French authorities by paying 212 million euros. The tech giant is accused of declaring a negligible amount of revenue in France, despite generating billions of euros from the sale and maintenance of its products like iPhones and Macs. The company reportedly routes the majority of its French business operations through Ireland.

This payment is intended to conclude a tax audit initiated by Bercy, the French finance ministry. The investigation focused on the discrepancy between the revenue officially declared in France and the actual economic activity generated by Apple's sales and services within the country.

The settlement signifies a resolution to the ongoing scrutiny of Apple's tax practices in France, where it has been alleged that the company artificially minimized its taxable income by channeling its French operations through a lower-tax jurisdiction.