Argentina has deposited its instrument of ratification for the Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS Convention). The BEPS Convention will enter into force on 1 January 2026 for Argentina.

In Irish news, the Ministers for Finance and for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation met with the Oireachtas Committee on Budgetary Oversight in advance of Budget 2026, and the ESRI has published its Autumn Economic Commentary. In UK news, the Institute advises the NI Affairs Committee that now is the appropriate time to pursue a lower more competitive rate of corporation tax in Northern Ireland, and today is your final opportunity to respond to the Institute’s survey on Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. In International news, the European Commission has published its implementation strategy for the VAT in the Digital Age package. Ireland 1. Read about the Ministers address to the Budgetary Oversight Committee ahead of Budget 2026. 2. Review the Autumn Economic Commentary recently published by the ESRI. UK 3. The Institute has advised the NI Affairs Committee that the time has now come to pursue a lower and more competitive rate of corporation tax in Northern Ireland. 4. Take our short survey on Making Tax Digital for Income Tax which closes today. International 5. Read about the European Commission’s implementation strategy for the VAT in the Digital age (ViDA) package. Keep up to date with all the latest Irish, UK, and international tax developments through Chartered Accountants Ireland’s Tax Newsletter. Subscribe to the Tax News by updating your preferences in MyAccount. You can also read this week’s Cross-border trading corner here.      

The European Commission has published its implementation strategy for the VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA) package, addressing new digital reporting requirements, challenges in the platform economy sector and a more streamlined single VAT registration process. The strategy outlines actions to support businesses and Member States with the practical implementation of the EU’s VAT framework updates. 

Revenue has extensively revised ‘Part 1 Interpretation’ of the Stamp Duty manual to provide more comprehensive guidance on the definitions and concepts outlined in Section 1 of the Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999.

The Institute recently responded to the Northern Ireland (NI) Affairs Committee call for evidence ‘Economic growth in Northern Ireland: new and emerging sectors’ which closed earlier this month. As part of the UK Government’s growth mission, the Committee is examining plans to deliver economic growth in NI. The Institute’s view is that now is the time to pursue the implementation of a lower rate of corporation tax (CT) as a means of accelerating economic growth in the region. Our full response to this call for evidence will be published in due course in the Tax Representations section of our website. The Institute’s response follows on from the launch in June of a refreshed campaign to pursue a lower rate of CT. A key part of this is the Institute’s position paper ‘Enhancing Our Competitiveness’, which sets out how Northern Ireland’s economy is at a crucial inflection point. In the increasingly competitive global race to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), NI cannot rely solely on the benefits of dual-market access to attract inward investment. The region needs to broaden its FDI proposition to be competitive; a lower rate of CT would be a vital tool in helping to achieve this.

The Institute’s short eight question survey on Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax remains open for completion and will close on Friday 3 October. With just over six months to go to commencement, we are inviting tax agents and businesses to share their views on this seismic change in UK tax administration. Take the survey now.  HMRC is also holding further in-person MTD for Income Tax events as part of its work to support agents and taxpayers with their preparations. The events will provide an opportunity to discuss technical MTD queries directly with HMRC. There will also be an opportunity  to meet software providers and find out about their products. Events are taking place as follows between now and the end of 2025: Leeds: 28 October, Edinburgh: 11 November, and Belfast: 19 November. Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis to agents who have not previously attended an in-person HMRC event earlier in 2025. Should you wish to attend one of the above events, email mailboxmakingtaxdigital@hmrc.gov.uk to enquire about availability.

Sunday 5 October 2025 is the deadline to notify HMRC of a new source of income or gain for 2024/25 where there is a requirement to register for and file self-assessment returns. Those required to register for self-assessment includes anyone who: is self-employed or a sole trader in a business which commenced in 2024/25, is not self-employed but who had a new source of income or a gain in 2024/25, or became a partner in a partnership or any new partnership which commenced in business in 2024/25.  Failure to register by the deadline can result in HMRC charging a failure to notify penalty.  

In this week’s detailed miscellaneous update which you can read more about below, HMRC has sent an update on the UK’s Pillar Two legislation. In other news this week: The use of AI by a taxpayer to support their appeal has been criticised in the Upper Tribunal case HMRC v Marc Gunnarsson [2025] UKUT 00247 (TCC), Meanwhile, in another Tribunal case, Elsbury v The Information Commissioner [2025] UKFTT 00915 (GRC), the First Tier Tribunal ruled that HMRC must disclose if and when AI was used in cases involving research and development tax reliefs, The House of Commons Library has published a research briefing exploring the National Insurance system, and the debate around integrating National Insurance Contributions with Income Tax, and a briefing which examines the way that Parliament scrutinises the Government's proposals for taxation as set out in the annual Budget statement has also been published, and HMRC has confirmed in an issue briefing that it has recommenced the use of direct recovery of tax debt from bank accounts. Pillar Two update Draft legislation was published in the summer for  amendments to the Multinational Top-up Tax and Domestic Top-up Tax for inclusion in Finance Bill 2025/26. According to HMRC, these amendments aim to ensure that the UK’s Pillar Two legislation is up to date with administrative guidance. The amendments also take into account previous stakeholder comments. A guidance manual was also published on the UK’s Pillar Two rules. More information on the manual is available on the introduction page. HMRC invites any feedback from stakeholders on the manual.

In this week’s cross-border trading corner, the most recent Trader Support Service bulletin is available as is the latest Brexit and Beyond newsletter from the Northern Ireland Assembly EU Affairs team. HMRC has also sent a range of updates on the implementation of ICS2, the implementation date for which has been pushed back to 31 December 2025. The minutes and slides from the latest meeting of the Joint Customs Consultative Committee meeting, which the Institute is represented on, are also available. ICS2 update HMRC has sent an email update on the implementation of ICS2. ICS2 is an advance cargo information system designed to improve security in the international transportation of goods and involved supply chains. This confirms that ICS2 must be implemented in full by 31 December 2025 for movements by road/rail from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. Also available is ICS2 operational guidance.

Revenue has confirmed that the Rent Pooling guidance incorporates content previously found in Tax and Duty Manual ‘Part 09-01-06 Rent Pooling’.

The latest UK tax tidbits features the updated guidance across a wide range of areas. Rates and allowances: Inheritance Tax thresholds and interest rates, Inheritance Tax thresholds and interest rates, Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings: work out the value of your property, Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings: technical guidance, Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings, Check genuine HMRC contact that uses more than one communication method, List of approved professional organisations and learned societies (List 3), Income Tax personal allowances and reliefs, Tell HMRC about the end of a qualifying interest in possession because someone has died (IHT100b (death)), Regulations to update the UK’s automatic exchange of information agreements, Cryptoasset Reporting Framework, Negligible value claims and agreements, and Compliance checks: tax advantaged shares schemes — CC/FS1f.

Revenue has published new guidance outlining the tax exemptions available for payments made to former residents of relevant Mother and Baby institutions. The exemptions introduced by the Mother and Baby Institutions Payments Scheme Act 2023 cover payments made to relevant individuals or their personal representatives if the applicant is deceased.