VAT Relief Push for UK Sole Traders: Reform UK leader Nigel Farage unveiled a plan to lift the VAT registration threshold for small businesses from £90,000 to £150,000, aiming to pull “alarm clock” sole traders out of the VAT cliff edge and claiming it would benefit hundreds of thousands of firms. SME Simplification in the EU: The Council and European Parliament struck a provisional deal under the “Omnibus IV” package, extending support and “digital by default” simplification beyond SMEs to scaling firms, with new rules to reduce paperwork and standardise digital requirements. Cybersecurity Warning for Business Continuity: Mastercard’s Cyber Pulse report flags rising cyberattacks across Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, with most attacks driven by financial gain and targeting business systems and critical infrastructure—an urgent reminder for SMEs to harden defenses. Cross-Border Business Links via SME MOU: South Korea’s President Lee and Belgium’s PM Bart De Wever agreed to expand investment cooperation, including a memorandum to strengthen SME and startup ties. Local Trading Rules for Summer Footfall: Cambridge plans “open container” public drinking zones for parts of the city during summer, allowing participating venues to serve drinks in branded cups outdoors.