Apple Wins Fight Over $14.9 Billion Tax Bill in Blow to EU (3)

Apple Inc. won its court fight over a record 13 billion-euro ($14.9 billion) Irish tax bill in a crushing blow to European Union Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager’s crackdown on preferential fiscal deals for companies.

The judgment by the EU’s lower court on Wednesday vindicates Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook’s challenge against a decision he labeled as “political crap.”

While the EU General Court’s ruling can still be appealed, judges delivered a stinging attack on the European Commission for failing to show “to the requisite legal standard” that Ireland’s tax deal broke state-aid law by giving Apple an unfair ...