France seeks €356m in unpaid tax from Booking.com
French authorities are seeking €356m (£276m) in unpaid taxes from Booking.com, according to documents filed by parent company Priceline.
Documents filed with US regulator said French authorities recently completed an audit of Booking.com’s accounts from 2003 to 2012.
The French government said Booking.com had a base in France and was obliged to pay income and value-added taxes.
The company said the majority of funds being sought are penalties.
“In December 2015, the French tax authorities issued Booking.com assessments for approximately €356m, the majority of which would represent penalties and interest,” the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission said.
The company said believed it complied with local tax law, and would contest the ruling in court if it could not reach a settlement with the French government.
In the same filing Priceline said Italian tax authorities were examining “whether Booking.com should be subject to additional tax obligations in Italy”.
Last week, Google’s headquarters in Paris were searched as part of an investigation into possible tax evasion.
Source: BBC
