Amazon starts declaring sales to pay taxes in four European countries

UNDER SCRUTINY: Amazon is among several large businesses under the spotlight in Europe over tax deals in Luxembourg and elsewhere.

PARIS: Online retail giant Amazon said it has started declaring sales in four European countries which would now be subject to local taxes, a move that could affect other multinationals under EU investigation for possible tax avoidance. 

Amazon has tax agreements in Luxembourg under which it recorded European sales and paid taxes on them in the tiny country instead of at the source. The deal had provoked howls of criticism that the Internet giant was trying to avoid taxes, and sparked a probe by the European Commission.