Apple 'disappointed' with EU ruling to pay €13 billion in back taxes

The US tech giant Apple is "disappointed" with a ruling by the European Union's highest court that the company must pay €13 billion ($14.4 billion) in back taxes.

In 2016, the European Commission ordered the multi-billion euro tax payment, claiming the US company had underpaid taxes due in Ireland.

"The European Commission is trying to retroactively change the rules and ignore that, as required by international tax law, our income was already subject to taxes in the US," an Apple representative said.

In the lengthy legal dispute, Apple had filed a successful complaint with the EU's General Court, which was ultimately overruled by the European Court of Justice.

"We always pay all the taxes we owe wherever we operate and there has never been a special deal," the Apple representative insisted.

"We are disappointed with today’s decision as previously the General Court reviewed the facts and categorically annulled this case," the representative said.