16 October 2026
News briefing & introducing events...
Hello everyone
I am writing this from India and I had the best week here with work and speaking at the TEI event on Monday. On the flight over here I created a new events page at askcolm.com/events. It collects tax webinars, briefings and conferences from professional bodies, advisory firms, tax authorities and technology providers, and you can filter by tax topic, country, format and whether registration has opened yet. Every listing is checked by me before it goes live, paid events are left out, and anything where the organiser does not state a price is marked as such. Nobody pays to be listed, and listings have no influence on the articles you read here or on who can subscribe.
A fair number of provider websites block automated tools, so the page is missing events I know exist. If you run a free webinar or briefing, or work for a firm or vendor that does, the form at the bottom of the page takes about two minutes. If you have a paid course you think would benefit the community, email me at colm@askcolm.com and we can talk about it. The next few events are listed further down this email.
On to the news. This week’s selection includes an explainer on Brazil’s CBS and IBS split payment, and the EU’s new €2 handling fee on e-commerce imports, which will matter to anyone selling low value goods into the bloc.
Spain appears twice, with a 10% VAT rate on short-term holiday rentals from December 2026 and a question about whether its digital reporting regime is becoming the most complex in Europe. There is also Senegal’s new filing portal for non-resident digital service providers, Kazakhstan auditing the VAT data of foreign marketplaces, and an EU court ruling on late reverse-charge wording in case T-773/25.
I will be watching closely to see which of the Spanish plans gets delayed first.
Colm
Selected articles
The Independent: Trump Team Under Fire for Delaying IRS Report on the Impact of His Tax Cuts: ‘I think They’re Hiding Stuff’
The Trump administration is facing criticism for delaying IRS reports on the impact of Trump's tax cuts. Critics suggest the withheld data could prove politically embarrassing for Republicans promoting the One Big Beautiful Bill, with accusations that the administration is concealing unfavorable findings under IRS chief Frank Bisignano.
Irish Budget 2027
Taxand has published commentary on the Irish Budget 2027, covering tax measures announced as part of Ireland's annual budget.
ATAF Convenes African Tax Administrations in Zimbabwe to Strengthen Tax Cooperation
ATAF has convened the 2026 Continental Exchange of Information Conference and Workshop in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, hosted by ZIMRA and opened by Zimbabwe's Deputy Minister of Finance. The three-day gathering brings together African tax administration leaders and practitioners to strengthen international tax cooperation and combat illicit financial flows.
Brazil Tax Reform: CBS and IBS Split Payment Explained
Brazil's major tax reform introduces a Split Payment mechanism for the new CBS and IBS taxes, regulated by Complementary Law No. 214/2025. The mechanism governs how these consumption taxes are collected and remitted, forming a core part of Brazil's broader indirect tax overhaul.
Sens. Probe Meta For Claiming Tax Credits On AI Data Centers
Democratic senators are pressing Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to justify the company's use of billions in federal research tax credits to fund AI data center construction, warning this may constitute a misapplication of federal tax law and could trigger further investigation.
Newsom Backs Measure to Make Future Wealth Taxes More Difficult
California Governor Gavin Newsom has endorsed a ballot initiative that would make future wealth taxes harder to enact in the state. If passed, the measure would effectively neutralize Proposition 40, known as the billionaire wealth tax, by creating a higher barrier to implementing such taxes in California.
Productivity Mega Deduction: key tax measures announced at Canada Investment Summit
McCarthy Tétrault tax practitioners outline Canada's proposed Productivity Mega Deduction, a tax incentive designed to encourage investment and competitiveness. The article covers related tax changes aimed at providing certainty for major capital projects, as announced at the Canada Investment Summit.
Senegal Introduces SENTAX: New VAT Filing Portal for Non-Resident Digital Service Providers
Senegal has launched SENTAX, replacing the previous ETAX portal for VAT compliance. The new portal introduces updated activation requirements for VAT-registered businesses. Non-resident digital service providers must meet a 20 October 2026 filing deadline under the new system.
Goldman's $2.3B deal puts tax-smart ETFs under scrutiny
Goldman Sachs's acquisition of Neos Investments brings scrutiny to tax-efficient ETFs that push the boundaries of longstanding tax laws. The deal raises questions about how decades-old rules apply to a new generation of tax-optimizing investment strategies, with regulators and practitioners watching how these products are treated under existing frameworks.
30% Ruling After an Internship: Possible, but Not Automatic
A Dutch District Court ruling from Noord-Holland clarifies that the 30% ruling can apply after an internship, but is not automatic. The case involved a student who completed an internship before working as a junior data engineer. The court ruled in his favour, but emphasised that specific circumstances such as internship nature and residence situation are critical factors in determining eligibility.
EU Introduces €2 Handling Fee on E-commerce Imports
The EU Parliament adopted major customs and e-commerce reforms at its second reading on September 16, 2026. The co-adopted Regulation establishes the Union Customs Code and introduces a €2 handling fee on e-commerce imports, representing a significant regulatory change affecting cross-border online trade into the EU.
What to Settle Before Client Tax Data Touches AI
Firms using AI to process client tax data must establish written policies governing where that data is permitted to go. The article addresses governance decisions firm owners need to make before client tax information comes into contact with AI tools, making it relevant to practitioners managing tax data workflows.
US Texas Proposes Sales Tax Exemption for Marketplace Fees
The Texas Comptroller has proposed amendments to Texas Administrative Code section 3.330 on Data Processing Services to end the double taxation of marketplace and platform fees. The proposed rule change would introduce a sales tax exemption for such fees charged by marketplace and platform operators.
SALT Cap Quirk Turns Couples Off Marriage
A quirk in the SALT deduction cap means married couples can deduct twice as much in state and local taxes by filing as single individuals rather than jointly. Trump's tax cuts raised the SALT cap, but the marriage penalty embedded in the rules is prompting some couples to legally separate to save up to $20,000 in taxes annually.
Spain to Impose 10% VAT on Short-Term Holiday Rentals from December 2026
Spain will impose 10% VAT on short-term furnished holiday rentals starting December 1, 2026, covering stays of 30 nights or fewer and rentals with hotel-like services such as cleaning, laundry, or restaurant service. Rentals of the landlord's own habitual home are excluded. The decree also allows municipalities in high-housing-pressure areas additional measures.
Is Spain creating Europe’s most complex digital reporting regime?
Spain's digital reporting landscape is examined, covering its layered obligations including SII real-time transaction reporting, the forthcoming B2B e-invoicing mandate, and pre-filled VAT returns. The article questions whether the combined complexity of these overlapping systems makes Spain the most demanding digital tax reporting regime in Europe.
WSJ on Mortgage Rates (and Tax Savings) with the Bank of Mom and Dad
The Wall Street Journal covers intrafamily lending and gift strategies for helping younger generations purchase homes, including use of the Applicable Federal Rate, gifts, and itemized deductions. These techniques offer personal income tax savings and are relevant given current high mortgage rates.
Section 147A of Income-tax Act Under Supreme Court Scanner: Can Retrospective Amendment Validate Invalid Reassessment Notices?
The Supreme Court of India is examining whether Section 147A of the Income-tax Act, a retrospective amendment, can validate reassessment notices that courts had previously declared legally invalid. The core question is whether Parliament can retrospectively override judicial rulings without altering the underlying statutory framework.
Comments on T-773/25: EU Court Rules Late Reverse-Charge Wording Does Not Retroactively Activate Triangulation Simplification
The EU General Court ruled in T-773/25 that an intermediary in an intra-Community triangulation chain cannot retroactively apply the triangulation simplification by adding a missing reverse-charge legend to an invoice years after the original transaction. The court went further than the Luxury Trust Automobil precedent, holding that a later corrected invoice adding the required wording is not a mere correction and cannot activate the simplification from any date.
What to Ask a Vendor About State E-File Coverage
Guidance for tax practitioners on evaluating tax software vendors for state e-file coverage, recommending questions about specific states, tax types, and approval dates for the coming filing season rather than relying on general capability claims.
Summaries are AI generated and may contain errors. Check the original article before relying on them. Nothing here is tax advice.