The European Union’s highest court on Tuesday ordered Apple and Google to pay billions in back taxes and a competition fine respectively, ending lengthy legal disputes. The two cases were part of Brussels’ fight to stop tax loopholes and rein in US tech giants. In both cases, all legal challenges, which resulted in years-long proceedings, were exhausted. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) backed on Tuesday a European Commission ruling that Apple must pay €13 billion ($14.4 billion) in back taxes, annulling a previous ruling in Apple’s favour. In 2016, the commission ordered the multi-billion …