Colombia Considers Making Interior Commotion Taxes Permanent; Canada Faces Tax on Carbon Rebates; Spain Debates Tax on Minimum Wage

Colombia's Ministry of Finance is considering making taxes related to 'interior commotion' permanent, aiming to secure $12 trillion for the General Budget of the Nation. According to Minister Diego Guevara, this would involve structuring and permanently implementing the three Catatumbo taxes. The timing of the submission depends on the progress of other projects in Congress. Canada's small businesses face taxation on carbon price rebates, despite government promises of tax-free status. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) reports that $2.5 billion in rebates paid in 2024 will be subject to taxation. CFIB President Dan Kelly attributes this to the prorogation of Parliament, preventing legislation to exempt small businesses from the tax. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has classified the rebate as a business subsidy, making it taxable. In Dubai, Colombian President Gustavo Petro proposed that the 'cloud' of artificial intelligence should be a public asset, funded by taxes on its use to guarantee a universal basic income. He argued this would prevent social unrest that could arise from the 'feudal privatization' of AI. In Spain, Sumar has registered a bill in Congress to exempt those earning the minimum wage (SMI) from income tax (IRPF). This follows a recent increase in the minimum wage, which has resulted in it becoming subject to taxation for the first time. Sumar argues this neutralizes the benefits of the wage increase and creates inequality. The proposal aims to align Spain with countries like France and Belgium, where the minimum wage is tax-exempt.