Statement by former U.S. Sen. Carl Levin:

"The royalties Apple collects for its overseas sales of products designed and developed in the U.S. should be taxed in the U.S. But Apple has avoided the billions of dollars of taxes it owes the U.S. by transferring its intellectual property to itself in Ireland. Apple also negotiated a special tax rate for itself of less than 1% in Ireland. When Apple used those tax avoidance schemes, it is understandable that Europe would try to go after them. The IRS has failed to stake a claim for U.S. taxes on those revenues for a decade or more. It has been passive and so Europe attempts to fill the vacuum. Shame on Apple for dodging U.S. taxes. Shame on the IRS for failing to challenge Apple's tax avoidance."

Former U.S. Sen. Carl Levin chaired the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations when it conducted a series of inquiries into multinational corporate tax avoidance. Levin serves on the faculty of Wayne State University Law School in Detroit as distinguished legislator in residence.