Employees spied on for years Million fine for Ikea in France

Status: 15.06.2021 1:44 p.m.

For years, Ikea had spied out unpleasant employees in France and created customer profiles. Two former managers have now been found guilty – and the furniture store has to pay a fine of more than one million euros. In the process of spying on staff and customers, Ikea was fined one million euros in France. The judges at the court in Versailles found that the French Ikea subsidiary had carried out espionage between 2009 and 2012 to investigate unpleasant employees and create profiles of disgruntled customers. Unions accused Ikea France of fraudulently collecting personal data, particularly through illegally obtained police files, and of divulging personal information without permission. Company lawyers denied that the company had any “general espionage” strategy.

“It’s a symbol”

Abel Amara, a former Ikea employee who helped expose the crackdown, called the ruling a major step in citizens’ defense. “I am glad that there is justice in France,” he said. A trade union lawyer, Solène Debarre, expressed hope that the verdict “will shake some companies”. “A million isn’t much for Ikea, but it’s a symbol,” said Debarre.

December 18, 2017

Private security company took care of the data

The disclosure sheet “Canard enchaîné” reported in 2012 about a systematic spying. The security department of the French Ikea subsidiary commissioned a private security company in 2003 to provide the company with some confidential data on staff and applicants – such as information on possible criminal records or bank statements. Similar information is said to have been requested from customers who were involved in a legal dispute with Ikea. The FO union then filed a complaint against unknown persons about the illegal use of personal data.

Probation and fine

The manager, who was responsible for risk management at the time, admitted in court that 530,000 to 630,000 euros had been allocated annually for such investigations. The instructions to his department had come from the former CEO of Ikea France, Jean-Louis Baillot. This denied the allegations, but was sentenced to a fine of 50,000 euros and two years in prison. Another former responsible received 18 months probation and a fine of 10,000 euros. Of the other 13 defendants, some were acquitted, while others were also given parole. The Swedish group distanced itself from the alleged practices. After the investigation began in 2012, Ikea fired four managers and changed its internal policies. Several civil suits by unions and 74 employees are pending. After the judgment, the company said it had taken note of the decision. You now allow us to look ahead.

The Ever Given ship ran aground in the southern part of the Suez Canal, Egypt, on March 26, 2021. (Photo: AFP/VNA) The Ever Given ship is no longer blocking the Suez Canal, but the story doesn’t end there with companies embroiled in a lengthy legal battle related to the event, hoping to “save” it. goods worth hundreds of millions of dollars are still being held on this ship for months. IKEA and Lenovo are two of many companies whose goods were detained on board the Ever Given after the ship was stranded at the airport. Suez Canal for six days in March. Many smaller companies such as the British bicycle manufacturer Pearson 1860 and Snuggy UK also had many important orders stuck on this ship. An Egyptian court has detained the Ever Given and its 18,300 containers after the Suez Canal Authority filed its first petition against the ship’s owner, Shoei Kisen Kaisha of Japan, for 916 compensation. million USD for damages and losses caused by the above incident. Therefore, the Ever Given ship and all its cargo are being held at Great Bitter Lake in the canal during the aforementioned legal battle. Many companies have products on ship Ever Given said they were completely unaware of the status of the goods while the proceedings were ongoing, and were not involved in the negotiations surrounding the release of the goods. Even if the parties reach an agreement, these companies or their insurance companies may still be liable for some part of the award. Companies may be forced to spend money under the “General average” clause in international maritime law, under which the parties involved in a shipping voyage are forced to share the costs proportionally if there is a loss. happening. Clyde & Co., a law firm representing companies and insurers with more than $100 million worth of cargo stranded on the Ever Given ship, estimates the total value of the cargo on board at between 600-700 million dollars./.

Nestled in the forest of Kazan, a city in southwestern Russia, the house is about 100 square meters. In terms of structure, this house is a DublDom prefab house, also known as a Modular prefab (Prefab Cabin), designed by Moscow-based architecture firm Bio Architects. The project to build this house was carried out in 2016 with the chief architect being Ivan Ovchinnikov. In addition, the house uses materials from famous brands such as: Knauf, VELUX, Thorma, Ikea. What makes prefab homes special is the reduction in construction costs by using materials such as: Metal, raw wood planks and glass. These materials are not only cheap but also contribute to the modern and glossy beauty of the house. The DublDom line of houses uses modular components that are assembled together, allowing for quick construction, after completion ranging from 26 m2 to 130 m2 and prices ranging from 2,300 USD and 100,000 USD. Specifically, the eight-room house here, priced at $80,000 to complete, was designed and built for a family who had tried out a 40-square-foot DublDom prefab a year earlier. Thanks to large skylights, exposed glass walls and columns, the house receives a lot of natural light and the entire interior is made of whitewashed monolithic pine, making you feel like you are living in harmony with nature. nature. Although this house is currently in Russia, the construction company is taking orders for foreign countries, first in the US. The house is located in the middle of the forest with open space, in harmony with nature. The house is beautiful and sparkling at night.

Amazon’s distribution center in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, April 25, 2020. Documentary photo: AFP/VNA The appeal comes after the LuxLeaks scandal exposed in 2014 revealed 500 tax agreements between Luxembourg and more than 350 international businesses, including many billion-dollar tax frauds and involving corporations. such as Apple, IKEA, Pepsi… These corporations have had tacit agreements with the tax authorities of Luxembourg to enjoy lower tax rates than prescribed. In the case of Amazon, in 2017 European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager accused Luxembourg of having an illegal arrangement with the online commerce giant to pay less tax than other businesses. other profession. Accordingly, Luxembourg has offered a preferential tax policy for Amazon, helping nearly three-quarters of the company’s profits not be taxed. At the heart of the EU’s allegations is Amazon’s violation of the so-called “market price principle”, which ensures that transactions between subsidiaries are based on prices that other independent companies in the market would charge. must return. At the time of the EU case, Amazon said it had not received any special treatment from Luxembourg, and insisted it had paid taxes in full in accordance with both Luxembourg and international tax law. However, analysts are not too optimistic about the ability of the EU’s requirements to be upheld. Less than a year ago, iPhone maker Apple won a spectacular victory in this same court against the European Commission’s request that Apple pay 13 billion euros in taxes to Ireland in 2016. But whether it wins or loses in the appeal, the European Commission will likely emphasize its goal of targeting corporate profits. The agency is also developing new rules to close tax loopholes, especially for tech giants. In recent weeks, the US side has gradually embraced the idea of ​​a global minimum corporate tax. Negotiations on cross-border corporate tax are underway at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). If successful, this tax policy will make special transactions for multinational companies a thing of the past.