The European Union on Wednesday ended a long-running investigation into the tax arrangements between US fast food giant McDonald’s and Luxembourg, finding the setup did not amount to illegal state aid. With the decision, the maker of Big Mac and McNuggets escapes the fate of US giants Apple, Starbucks and Amazon, which were ordered by the EU to repay big amounts in back taxes, angering Washington. “Luxembourg did not break EU state aid rules,” EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager told a news briefing in Brussels, though she carefully added that the company had managed to escape tax, albeit legally.
