Ireland welcomes annulling of EU Apple tax order

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland welcomed the judgment by Europe's second-top court on Wednesday to reject a European Union order that iPhone maker Apple pay 13 billion euros (£11.76 billion) in Irish back taxes.

"Ireland has always been clear that there was no special treatment provided to the two Apple companies. The correct amount ... was charged in line with normal Irish taxation rules," the finance ministry said in a statement.

Ireland had appealed the EU decision "on the basis that Ireland granted no state aid" and the decision today from the Court supports that view," it said.

(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; editing by John Stonestreet)