France abandons effort to tax Google

June 24, 2011

Last year France began exploring ways to tax Google and other big online advertising companies. That effort is now dead.

Follow-up friday icon The New York Times reported last week that French President Nicolas Sarkozy's party has withdrawn legislation seeking to impose a 1 percent tax on online advertising expenditures in the country.

The measure had been introduced because of concerns that foreign Internet companies pay little or no tax on their earnings in France.

Although the proposal had been dubbed the Google tax, it actually would have had little effect on the company because it sells advertising aimed at French users through its subsidiary in Ireland, where tax rates are lower.

A full Follow-up Friday: It's been a busy week of new information related to previous posts, so instead of crowding them all into one item, I'm posting several Follow-up Friday pieces.

Next up, professional golfer Retief Goosen as tax guinea pig.

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We made it. Tax Day 2025 is finally over. For most of us. When the filing season started on Jan. 26, millions who were expecting refunds filed immediately. Most of us got our returns to the Internal Revenue Service by April 15. But plenty of taxpayers also got extensions. They are looking at an Oct. 15 filing deadline.

Those procrastinating filers aren’t a problem. In fact, the IRS appreciates taxpayers who take time to fill out their 1040 forms correctly. It also is grateful that tax submissions are spread out a bit, especially now that the IRS is a leaner agency. Processing returns is easier when they arrive throughout the year instead of in massive bunches.

But enough about Uncle Sam’s tax collection issues. The focus now is on all y’all who filed for extensions, giving you another six months to complete your return. Since your new mid-October due date will be here before you know it, let’s get started now on meeting it.

The ol’ blog is here to help you finish up your extended Form 1040. You can start with January’s tax tips page, which has links to the rest of the year’s tips by-month collections. You also can peruse various tax categories for more tailored advice by clicking on the More Tax Posts drop-down menu at the top of this (and every) page.

And to make sure you don’t miss your new filing deadline, the count-down clock below will let you know just how much time you to file by Oct. 15. At the latest.e. (Note: I’m in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.)

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