Canary Islands SME tax relief: Spain’s Canary government has raised the REPEP turnover threshold for self-employed small businesses from €30,000 to €50,000 from 1 July 2026, letting more freelancers use a simplified IGIC regime (but they can’t reclaim IGIC on expenses). Local disruption for small shops: In Covington, Kentucky, owners at Golden Gelato and others are bracing for multi-year traffic changes tied to the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project, hoping customers keep coming despite detours. UK retail growth via social commerce: Rithum data suggests TikTok Shop is shifting from “trinkets” to big-ticket purchases in Britain, with over-£100 items driving a large share of revenue—raising questions about the future of the high street. Small business spotlight in the UK: Gonk World UK, started as a mum-and-son stall, has opened a permanent store in Warrington after strong demand, showing how niche products can scale locally. Digital trust and creator backlash: Instagram users and creators report Meta AI is disrupting feeds and privacy, with creators reportedly moving platforms as engagement drops. EU enforcement on SME-linked fraud: European prosecutors seized over €305,000 in southern Italy tied to alleged misuse of EU pandemic funds meant for digital and green transitions for small businesses. Green hosting reward program (France): Oduul.cloud will pay one client €3,000 every six months once it reaches 1,000 dedicated server users, tying customer rewards to platform growth. SME-friendly payments push (UK): Stripe and Lloyds have launched a payments suite aimed at UK small businesses, focusing on easier acceptance and smoother operations. Tourism tax and jobs (Europe angle): The Canary Islands and other regions keep seeing how visitor spending can translate into local business footfall and jobs, with Tenerife’s north coast highlighted as a more “authentic” alternative to overtourism hotspots. Small-scale fishing tech (UK): CatchCam Technologies is using underwater monitoring to help small fisheries make sustainability decisions—turning tech into practical on-boat value.