Google agrees 945mln euro tax settlement with France

PARIS (AFP) – US internet giant Google has agreed a settlement totalling 945 million euros ($1.0 billion) to end a tax dispute in France under an agreement announced in court. The company will pay a 500-million-euro fine for tax evasion, as well as a further 465 million euros to settle claims with French tax authorities. In a statement, Google confirmed the settlement and hailed the fact it had put an end to fiscal differences that it had had with France for numerous years. The settlement follows similar out-of-court agreements reached in Italy and Britain by Google in recent years, though the French agreement is much larger than the previous ones. Google said it now wanted to see a coordinated reform for a clear international taxation framework. French Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet and Budget Minister Gerald Darmanin welcomed the "definitive settling" of all the contentious issues, adding in a statement that it was the result of two years of intense work by the French authorities. "This outcome is good news for the public finances and fiscal fairness in France," their statement said. Belloubet said the settlement showed that the French authorities have the tools to ensure an equitable tax system. "It is a historic settlement both for our public finances and because it marks the end of an era," Darmanin said. "By normalising Google''s situation in France, (the settlement) responds to our citizens'' demands for fiscal fairness," he said.

Earlier,Tech giant Google has formally come across an investigation launched by a group of 50 states and territories in the US into its dominance of the online advertising market.

The coalition warned that the search giant may be threatening competition and consumers. They also raised concerns over the way Google ranks its search results and protects users’ personal data. The action adds to a mounting number of probes of big technology firms by US authorities. On Friday, a separate group of states announced they had launched an investigation of Facebook to determine whether it had stifled competition and adequately protected consumer data. The recent actions involve both Republicans and Democrats, a sign of growing political consensus about the need to curb the tech giants.