EU begin probe into IKEA taxation model in Holland
The European Union is opening an in-depth probe into Ikea’s taxation model in the Netherlands in its latest effort to tackle sweetheart deals for big multinationals.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive branch, said it has suspicions that two Dutch tax rulings over the past 12 years have given the Swedish furnishing company an unfair edge over other firms which have to work under the same system.
Margrethe Vestager, the commissioner responsible for competition matters, said member states cannot allow a select group of companies to pay less tax than others.
The Commission will now "carefully investigate" the Ikea case, she said.
In similar cases, the EU has also gone after member states to claw back taxes from the likes of Apple, Amazon and Starbucks.
