French court adviser favours Orange in $2.2 billion tax dispute

PARIS: An adviser to France’s top administrative court favoured telecoms firm Orange on Monday in a long-lasting $2.2 billion tax dispute over writedowns it booked after acquiring a company in the mid-2000s.

A favourable ruling for Orange would compel France’s tax administration to pay the company at least 1.9 billion euros ($2.24 billion) in back taxes it had perceived in 2013.

The litigation stems from the integration in 2005 of Orange’s subsidiary Cogecom.