Carbon trade & SME exposure: BRICS leaders back a “New Delhi Declaration” pushing back against CBAM-style carbon border rules, a direct threat to EU-bound exporters—especially heavy-industry SMEs facing higher compliance costs. Energy shock hits small makers: France’s rural bakers are getting squeezed as heating-oil prices jump again, with energy bills rising fast enough to cut earnings for thousands of small ovens. UK fuel crunch for traders: A UK diesel shortage is driving forecourt prices toward record levels, raising delivery and haulage costs that small businesses say they can’t absorb. Insolvency crackdown: The UK Insolvency Service makes “phoenixing” directors its top enforcement priority, targeting repeat company closures and re-starts that dodge debts. Payments & regulation for growth: Teya, serving 75,000+ European SMEs, is accepted into the FCA’s Scale-up Unit, giving fast-growing firms a direct regulatory contact. AI at board level: ERGO Group creates a chief AI officer role, appointing its US small-business insurer CEO to roll AI across the group. Cross-border trade support: InterTradeIreland’s Trade Connects 2026 offers free events for SMEs looking to grow in the all-island market. Local enterprise spotlights: Ireland’s Local Enterprise Village at Ploughing 2026 showcased 30 LEO-supported small businesses to a huge audience. Nature-based tourism funding: KAZA TFCA launches regenerative tourism support for MSMEs, with EU and Germany backing capacity building and finance for community-led operators. Tech & commerce for SMEs: A new UK broadband management game highlights the “small operator vs incumbent” theme, while TikTok Shop coverage points to live commerce as a growing route for young British sellers.