Ireland Collects More Than 14 Billion Euros From Apple Ahead of Tax Appeal

A balloon depicting Apple is tethered by demonstrators urging the Irish Government to accept the European Commission's Apple tax ruling of 13 billion euros ($14.6 billion) in back taxes, in Dublin, Ireland on Sept. 17, 2016. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

DUBLIN—Ireland has collected 13.1 billion euros ($15.2 billion) in disputed taxes from Apple plus interest of 1.2 billion euros, which it will hold in escrow pending an appeal against a European Union tax ruling, Ireland’s finance minister said Sept. 18.

The European Commission ruled in August 2016 that Apple had received unfair tax incentives. Both Apple and Dublin are appealing against the original ruling, saying the iPhone maker’s tax treatment was in line with Irish and EU law.