How many taxes did Bill Gates pay in Europe: this number will surprise you

Today’s question is: How much tax did Bill Gates pay?, for Microsoft, in Europe?

Microsoft, multinational الجنسي Bill Gates, is one of the four richest companies in the world (along with Apple, Amazon, and Google) for a reason: Bill Gates e Paul Allen They changed the world of computing when they invented the operating system in 1983 Microsoft Windows. The news, recent from the analysis, is that, in 2020, the Irish subsidiary of Microsoft made a profit of 315 billion dollars, equivalent to 260 billion euros, but without paying taxes.

Profit comes from selling licenses to use the popular Gates program all over the world. This news was reported by the English newspaper WatchmanIt comes at a time when the G7 nations have met to tackle corporate tax evasion.

The benefits to Europe will be high. Only in Italy will there be an increase in tax revenue from 2.7 billion euros (rate of 15%) 11 billion euros (rate of 25%).

From the United States comes the proposal to impose a global minimum tax on multinational corporations. Janet Yellen, American economist, former president of Federal Reserve, as the current Treasury Secretary for a common international tax system, to support the fragile global economy after the coronavirus pandemic.

Microsoft and billions of taxes evaded

giant company Bill Gates Microsoft Listed on the stock exchange with value 1.850 billion dollars. In general, it is the world’s richest company, followed by an Apple ($1.4 trillion), Amazon ($1.035 billion) the alphabetIt is a multinational technology conglomerate The Google (1.017 billion dollars) e Facebook social networking site ($605.2 billion) as of April 2021.

Bill Gates, through the Irish headquarters of Microsoft in 2020 made a profit of 315 billion dollars (260 billion euros), but she did not pay taxes even a single euro. Taxes paid: zero. This is because the company is already based in Bermuda for tax purposes. Address in Bermuda has no staff, writes Corriere della Sera, but only three names have been reported, three directors all residing in the United States.

No more ‘zero taxes’: Joe Biden’s proposal for Europe

According to the US Treasurer, Janet Yellen a Global minimum tax from 15 % of multinational companies will stimulate innovation, growth and prosperity in the countries in which they are based. The proposal reaches the table of the finance ministers of Germany, France, Italy and Spain, members of the Group of Seven meeting in London for the summit. The discussion among the seven ministers will pave the way for the G20 negotiations in July in Italy.

Hence the ambitious tax proposal will put an end to the loopholes of multinational corporations for non-payment of taxes, including corporation Bill Gates He is most prone to such behavior.

The guardian Mention the words of the labor representative Margaret Hodge, which has been campaigning against tax evasion for years:

It is the arrogant behavior of large organizations like Microsoft that illustrates the importance and necessity of President Biden’s global corporate tax plan. The United Kingdom should seize this opportunity unreservedly to embrace Biden’s proposals.

a second Carl LevinChairman of the committee that investigated the company’s operations Bill GatesIn the 1990s, Microsoft began creating “A complex system of interconnected foreign entities to facilitate international sales and reduce taxesMicrosoft’s response was to reject these allegations:We fully comply with all laws and regulations […] We have been investing in Ireland for over 35 years“.

Many European countries asked to make companies pay for Correct amount of tax, but above all do it in the right “place”. Finance MinistersDaniel Franco for ItalyFrench Bruno the mayor, German Olaf Schulz and Spanish Nadia Calvino They agree that they will be able to reach an agreement to reverse the course that places these mega-corporations above all national and transnational laws.