UK SME Tax Relief Push: Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick says taxpayers stuck on hold to HMRC for over 30 minutes would get a £30 credit off their bill, capped at two times a year, with senior HMRC pay tied to customer service. Data Protection Rollback: The same plan also targets GDPR-style UK privacy rules, replacing them with a “light-touch” model based on New Zealand, arguing the current regime “strangles” small firms and tech. EU Packaging Shock for SMEs: European Parliament President Roberta Metsola admits new EU packaging rules are “rigid and counterproductive” for SMEs, with calls to delay cross-EU representative requirements (potentially until 2035). Local Supplier Boost: Lidl Northern Ireland’s Kickstart Supplier Development Programme is bringing 30 new local food and drink products from 16 producers to shelves from 10 September. Apprenticeship Cost Pressure: A UK manufacturing firm says higher minimum wage costs have made apprenticeships “unviable,” adding to Brexit-era and compliance burdens. SME Hiring & Training Strain: Separate coverage flags rising costs leaving small firms struggling to afford UK apprentice training schemes. Digital Identity for Trade: ASEAN’s Digital Economy Framework Agreement moves toward implementation, aiming to make national digital IDs interoperable for trusted cross-border services. SME Tech Tools: Entagl launches “Mirror,” an AI preview tool for service businesses to show treatment outcomes before booking. Funding for Enterprise AI: Ringg AI extended its Series A to $15m to expand AI agents for customer conversations and business workflows. Market Concentration Warning: South Korea’s trade data suggests the AI chip boom is increasingly benefiting large firms while mid-sized companies lose semiconductor share. Cost of Doing Business: A UK outsourcing provider targets SMEs that want to hand off HR, finance, compliance, tech and marketing to avoid building costly in-house teams.