Indirect tax news from the past week
16 February 2026
CBAM: Draft regulations and policy summary
The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will place a carbon price on specified goods imported into the UK. CBAM will come into effect on 1 January 2027. CBAM seeks to ensure that “highly traded, carbon intensive products from jurisdictions outside the UK face a comparable carbon price to that paid by UK manufacturers, so that UK decarbonisation efforts lead to a true reduction in global emissions rather than simply displacing carbon emissions overseas.” HMRC have published a consultation on draft CBAM regulations seeking feedback from stakeholders to ensure the regulations deliver the policy correctly and effectively for CBAM to operate as intended. The draft regulations deal with the administrative aspects of CBAM, including registration, returns, and record keeping, and the determination of the calculation of the CBAM rate and carbon price relief. The consultation will close on 24 March 2026. HMRC have also issued a policy summary on how CBAM will operate, including the core policy framework set out in Finance (No. 2) Bill 2024-26 and details set out in the draft regulations and notices. The document will be updated to reflect future changes. (Contact: Zoe Hawes)
GfC17: Help with sharing group structure information
HMRC have published their latest Guidelines for Compliance (GfC). GfCs are intended to help taxpayers and their advisers understand HMRC’s views on approaches taxpayers can take to lower the risk of tax non-compliance. Help with sharing group structure information – GfC17 sets out guidance for businesses when sharing information about their group structure and transactions with HMRC. The guidance states that sharing such information with HMRC assists in understanding tax consequences for corporation tax, VAT and customs duty. The GfC includes the information HMRC need to understand a group or transaction, and details on standard symbols and shapes. Use of the guidelines is not mandatory, but HMRC encourage businesses to check that any group structure information provided includes the key information set out in the guidelines. (Contact: Andrew Clarke)
UK tax landscape – Deloitte article
The UK tax landscape continues to transform in 2026, with changes impacting businesses, investors, and individuals across a range of taxes. Our latest Deloitte Insights article, UK tax landscape: Key changes for 2026, provides an overview of these developments, including indirect tax and trade, with a timeline of tax changes coming into force in 2026.
Deloitte VAT School 2026
Deloitte VAT School is a comprehensive VAT training programme that provides participants with practical VAT knowledge and helps them become more effective in their role. Taking place in Deloitte’s London office, the course comprises three modules held monthly from April through to June. Deloitte VAT School is suitable for a range of attendees, from FDs looking for a better understanding of the intricacies of the VAT system, to AP/AR staff to aid their day-to-day responsibilities. The price is £2,950, plus VAT, for sessions 1 to 3, with a 15% discount for bookings of three or more places from the same organisation, and a discount of 10% for those who book before 2 March 2026. For more information and to register, please visit Deloitte VAT School 2026.