An almost complete victory for Apple and Ireland. Bit of a surprise.

Many observers expected the Commission to end up with a more modest result than their hoped-for €13bn. But the Commission will be very disappointed that the Court found Apple had no advantage at all. https://twitter.com/EUCourtPress/status/1283326636348379137

€13bn was always a ridiculous figure. The Commission were saying that almost all the profits from Apple's worldwide sales should have been taxed in Ireland. But very few of the underlying products and software were designed, manufactured or managed in Ireland.

So I think fair to say most tax commentators thought that there may well have been State aid, but no proper tax justification for allocating all the profits to Ireland. The General Court has gone further, and found Apple had no advantage at all.

The Commission's intent seemed to be a political one: to punish Apple for its overall tax planning, rather than to reach a result that accorded with the legal or economic position. The Court has, quite rightly, followed the law and not any wider political objectives.

Huuuuuuge caveat: this is all going off the CJEU press release - we don't have the judgment. Will update with a more detailed/nerdier thread when we do.