They're not. Apple is essentially acting like a government, and they're certainly way more powerful than the Dutch government:
- They have an income tax -- 30% (wait until they come up with a capital gains tax, and a property and inheritance tax as well)
- Use monopoly of "force" by removing us if we "evade taxes"
- Have their legislation branch to come up with their own set of "laws" - they call it "terms", but can't be "terms" if we have to swallow it without coming to terms with it
- Their judiciary branch judge our actions with no recourse
- Have their executive branch to put into practice what their judicial branch decides (usually in an automated fashion)
Netherlands has a strong voice in the EU; I'm betting that Apple doesn't want to cease all business in the EU. Heck, they bent to China.... they'll bend to EU, make no mistake.
This is an mind-blowingly-risky move on Apple's part. They show malice here - if they are acting like a government, they invite governments to fight them. I.e. they're nuts.
And it's not even just the EU. The U.S., South Korea, Australia, India, Russia- a lot of countries and markets are taking notice. This is a global phenomenon. The sharks are circling.
- They have an income tax -- 30% (wait until they come up with a capital gains tax, and a property and inheritance tax as well)
- Use monopoly of "force" by removing us if we "evade taxes"
- Have their legislation branch to come up with their own set of "laws" - they call it "terms", but can't be "terms" if we have to swallow it without coming to terms with it
- Their judiciary branch judge our actions with no recourse
- Have their executive branch to put into practice what their judicial branch decides (usually in an automated fashion)