Ireland has fully recovered 13.1 billion euros ($15.3 billion) in disputed taxes from Apple plus interest of 1.2 billion, just before an appeal against an EU tax ruling, Ireland's finance minister said on Tuesday.

As a result, the EU antitrust regulators plan to drop legal action against Ireland, the European Commission said on Tuesday.

The European Commission ruled in August 2016 that Apple had received unfair tax incentives. Both Apple and Dublin are appealing against the original ruling, saying the iPhone maker's tax treatment was in line with Irish and European Union law.

The Irish government says it has never given any company a special deal and that the appeal is important to preserve Ireland's attractiveness for investment.

Ireland's finance ministry said its appeal had been granted priority status and is progressing through the various stages of private written proceedings before the General Court of the European Union (GCEU), Europe's second highest court.