(Telecompaper) The EC has opened an investigation to examine whether decisions by tax authorities in Ireland with regard to the corporate income tax to be paid by Apple comply with the EU rules on state aid. The EC has been investigating certain tax practices in several Member States following media reports alleging that some companies have received significant tax reductions by way of 'tax rulings' issued by national tax authorities. The investigation will examine the individual rulings issued by the Irish tax authorities on the calculation of the taxable profit allocated to the Irish branches of Apple Sales International and of Apple Operations Europe.