A summary of the top weekly tax developments in the Americas

     This week's tax news from the Americas

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection details new process for administering IEEPA duty refunds
  In a 12 March 2026 update to the U.S. Court of International Claims, the Executive Director of the Trade Programs Directorate at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) described how the agency is building a new, dedicated process within its existing computer system (i.e., the Automated Commercial Environment) to administer valid refunds of additional ad valorem duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The update responds to the court’s 4 March 2026 order in Atmus Filtration, Inc. v. United States. The new Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries Claim Portal will intake importer claims, recalculate the correct duties and interest owed without the additional IEEPA charges, and issue refunds accordingly. It will also allow CBP to review and finalize those corrected amounts using its standard procedures.

• Colombia enacts additional temporary tax measures under State of Emergency, including Net Wealth Tax for branches of foreign entities and PEs in Colombia
  The Colombian Government has enacted temporary tax measures through Decree 240 of 12 March 2026, under the State of Economic, Social, and Ecological Emergency declared by Decree 150 of 11 February 2026. Under these measures, the Net Wealth Tax is expanded to capture the equity of foreign branches and Permanent Establishments as of 31 March 2026. Additionally, the Decree enacts several other tax relief measures, and a new 16% consumption tax applies to online games of chance operated exclusively over the internet, with no value-added tax credit available for operating costs.

• Bahamas deadline for in-scope MNE Groups to file DMTT preregistration notification form is 31 March 2026
  The Bahamas Department of Inland Revenue (DIR) released instructions for completing Form DMTT-24, DMTT Notification, a one-time notification for entities that fall within scope of the Domestic Minimum Top-up Tax Act 2024 (DMTT Act) for fiscal years beginning on or after 1 January 2024. Taxpayers must submit the form to the DIR by 31 March 2026.

• Chilean ruling confirms no withholding tax on software distribution under Chile-US tax treaty
  Consistent with Ruling No. 1611/2025, Chile's tax authority concluded in Ruling No. 578/2026 (6 March 2026) that Chilean withholding tax does not apply to payments for software distribution rights made by a Chilean entity to a US supplier, even when the Chilean distributor subsequently sublicenses the software to customers located outside Chile. The tax authority reasoned that the payments qualify as business profits under the Chile-US income tax treaty. As in the prior ruling, this interpretation only applies under the Chile-US treaty.

• Canada | New Brunswick Budget 2026
  On 17 March 2026, New Brunswick Minister of Finance and Treasury Board René Legacy introduced the province's fiscal 2026 budget. The budget contains no new taxes and no income tax increases.

    This week's newsletters

• Report on recent US international tax developments - 20 March 2026
  Our weekly report with brief summaries of all the week's US international tax developments and related activity.

• EY's global e–invoicing developments tracker - 11 March 2026
  Our global E–invoicing Developments Tracker includes the latest developments to empower organizations to adapt swiftly to the changing landscape of global tax compliance.

• PE Watch | Latest developments and trends - 16 March 2026
  Our monthly report with brief summaries of the latest permanent establishment activity and trends.

• Tradelines - 20 March 2026
  Our weekly trade newsletter for global business leaders delivers timely insights into the issues shaping global commerce—from tariff shifts and supply chain disruptions to legislative developments and compliance trends.

    Upcoming EY webcasts

• 23-24 March: 21st Annual EY International Tax Quantitative and Reporting Conference
• 25 March: BorderCrossings - with EY transfer pricing and tax professionals - March 2026
• 26 March: What you need to know about Q1 IFRS quarterly tax developments
• 31 March: Beyond the numbers: evolving consumer sentiment in a time of uncertainty

A calendar of all upcoming EY webcasts is available.

   Recent EY podcasts

• EY Podcast | Weekly US international cross-border taxation news for week ending 20 March 2026

All episodes of the EY Cross-Border Taxation Spotlight and
EY Talks Tax are available through Apple podcasts.

   This week's EY Global Tax Alerts

     Africa

• Ghana Court of Appeal decides on procedures for claiming VAT and corporate tax refunds

     Europe

• Cyprus broadens documentation requirements for certain payments to nonresident companies in low-tax jurisdictions
• Spain's new tax treaty with the Netherlands introduces source taxation on gains from disposal of real estate-rich companies
• UK HMRC publishes annual transfer pricing and diverted profits tax statistics

     Middle East

• Qatar amends Executive Regulations to Income Tax Law to introduce withholding tax Trusted Entity Service

Additional resources

Comments. If you have any questions or suggestions about this newsletter, please email Tax News Update Help at: ustaxalertshelp@ey.com.

About Americas Tax Roundup

Published by NTD's Tax Technical Knowledge Services Group, Washington, D.C.
Jennifer Mannetta, writer and editor

Distributed weekly to all Americas Tax personnel.