EU–Azerbaijan Deal: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed a major scale-up of EU cooperation with Azerbaijan on energy, transport and digital links, including a “Peace through Connectivity Package” of up to €200m (mobilising up to €2bn) plus €20m for border-area peace support that includes healthcare, demining, skills and help for small businesses. SME Tax Relief: Ireland’s Donegal businesses get breathing room as the 9% VAT rate for food and hairdressers returns, cutting costs from 13.5% and aiming to protect jobs and competitiveness. Fashion Crackdown: France advanced tougher rules on ultra-fast fashion, with per-item fines and limits on advertising and influencer promotion targeting Shein and Temu—another compliance headache for small retailers and online sellers. Cyber Risk for SMEs: Fake “Interpol” investigation emails are spreading malware and ransomware via links to password-protected files, underlining how underinsured many small firms remain. Digital Growth for SMEs: Ghana’s MTN backed MSME digital tools with the launch of an MSME Digital Gateway Platform, while Grey Payments expanded local-currency deposit services in Ghana and Kenya to support local transactions and financial inclusion. Workforce Rules Watch: Germany is debating loosening strict dismissal protections, a potential shift that could affect hiring and job security for SMEs.