iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Highlights from the RCEP Joint Ministerial Statement: asean.org/joint-media-... relaunched website (it's pretty minimal, but still more than CPTPP! www.hinrichfoundation.com/research/art...), accessions underway, and General Review slowly moving forward with a 'Joint Scoping Paper' coming next year

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

For RCEP watchers - Ministers are meeting this week to discuss implementation and the general review. Philippines suggests the review could cover new provisions on "digital trade, sustainable development, inclusivity and emerging technologies such as AI" business.inquirer.net/611673/asean...

business.inquirer.net

Asean to set AI cooperation rules

Trade Undersecretary Allan Gepty MANILA, Philippines — The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is set to lay down common rules on how artificial intelligence (AI) should be used

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Trouble ahead for the Aus-EU FTA? www.news.com.au/world/europe...

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Reposted by Devon Whittle

The Australian Productivity Commission @pc.gov.au · 21/08/2026

Out now | The 2026 Trade and Assistance Review shows that budgetary assistance to industry increasingly shifting towards measures targeted at particular industries and sectors.: www.pc.gov.au/ongoing/trad... (1/4)

pc.gov.au

Trade and Assistance Review 2024-25

The Trade and Assistance Review (TAR) contains the PC’s latest estimates of Australian Government assistance to industry, and provides a summary of developments in industry assistance, trade policy an...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

I post more about AI on X (x.com/devonwhittle...) but it also will be interesting to see how Australia navigates the trade implications of its AI policy (and vice versa) both current rules and whether new/amended rules are needed: GP as the govt seeks to create Aussie customers for AI firms, 1/3

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Pretty cool interactive explainer on how AI companies can watermark text. Even has examples showing how the watermark can survive some editing.

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

For those interested in the potential catastrophic risks from AI and what Australia could be doing about it, I was on the Alive to This video series recently discussing exactly that: www.alivetothis.com/episode-cata...

alivetothis.com

Chapter 7. Catastrophic Risk | Alive to This

Devon Whittle, Arnagretta Hunter and Greg Sadler on catastrophic and existential risk: how a technology this powerful could go wrong, and what it asks of us now.

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Great presentation by Jason Schultz at the recent Aus AI Safety Forum on AI and copyright in the US (and very relevant to current debates in Australia) - youtu.be/btAXkG7l7z8?...

youtu.be

AI on Trial: The US Copyright Fights - Jason Schultz | AI Safety Forum 2026

YouTube video by AI Safety Forum

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

New from e61: Taxing robots: the good news and risks about AI and government revenue - e61.in/taxing-robot...

e61.in

Taxing robots: the good news and risks about AI and government revenue – e61 INSTITUTE

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

I love my UK colleagues, but this YouTube video gave me flashbacks to trying to understand CDOTs and the other very specific features of the UK’s constitutional arrangements in trade negotiations (and then translating this into treaty text!) youtu.be/W5Y8JwEzuvA?...

youtu.be

How The UK Works 🫠.

YouTube video by Jimmy Rees

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

I smiled at this from @slatestarcodex.bsky.social's latest link round-up. It sometimes seems there's a bunch of people who "like doing hard things", except when the hard thing is international cooperation?

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

My AI Safety Forum presentation on AI incident monitoring and reporting is now online. It's something that works for aviation, pharma, consumer goods, etc, why not for AI companies? www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uoks... (my talk started 5 mins late, so apologies if it seems rushed!)

youtube.com

The Case for Mandatory AI Monitoring & Incident Reporting - Devon Whittle | AI Safety Forum 2026

YouTube video by AI Safety Forum

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

The text of Aus-Singapore's Protocol on Economic Resilience and Essential Supplies (PERES) is out (dfat.gov.au/sites/defaul...). Let's see how it compares to the NZ-Singapore AOTES (mfat.govt.nz/assets/Trade...) (this is based on a quick review over breakfast, so mistakes possible / likely)... 1/11

dfat.gov.au

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Will this help with US s301 forced labour investigation tariffs? ministers.ag.gov.au/media-centre...

ministers.ag.gov.au

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Reposted by Devon Whittle

Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 10/07/2026

I suppose there's no chance Australia would file a complaint under the AUSFTA?

static.klipy.com

Ron Swanson's Disappointment Sigh

ALT: Ron Swanson's Disappointment Sigh

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

I wrote a summary of the new Bill that would require Australia to advocate for certain issues in trade negotiations, prohibit certain outcomes, and create new transparency requirements (subject to a narrow scope...) open.substack.com/pub/tradenot...

open.substack.com

FTAs: Reforms coming to Australia's approach to trade negotiations

Last week, the Trade and Investment Agreements (Consultation) Bill 2026 (the Bill) was introduced to the Australian Parliament. The Bill is meant to “improve transparency and community input into FTA ...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

As always, @matt_levine's take on the OpenAI 5% offer to the USG is the best take. www.bloomberg.com/opinion/news...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Not much too surprising in DFAT's Trade 2040 Taskforce Report, but the AI section is trying to walk some fine lines between regulation and investment positioning. Also IPEF is still a thing in the Report at least. www.dfat.gov.au/publications...

dfat.gov.au

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Australia's Trade and Investment Agreements (Consultation) Bill 2026 will reform negotiation of FTAs/BITs. Some interesting design choices, eg scope, it prohibits signing agreements that have ISDS (among other things), and requires independent analysis of agreements. www.dfat.gov.au/news/news/tr...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

CPTPP Ministerial Statement: working on Costa Rica's accession instrument, Uruguay's AWG advancing, discussions starting w/ UAE, Philippines and Indonesia, new working group on ROOs, custom admin and trade facilitation (with reference to circumvention). www.gov.uk/government/p...

gov.uk

Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) joint ministerial statement on expansion, implementation and co-operation: 26 June 2026

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

IPEF is still a thing: IPEF members (but not the US) discuss response to supply chain disruptions caused by Middle East crisis (although Korea's chairing of the supply chain body is coming to an end so will be interesting to see who takes up the baton) www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffai...

koreatimes.co.kr

IPEF members discuss response to supply chain disruptions caused by Middle East crisis - The Korea Times

Members of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) held a virtual meeting Tuesday to discuss the response to global supply chain disruptions cau...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

Conclusion of negotiations of ASEAN’s Digital Economy Framework Agreement announced - signing aimed for November of this year asean2026.gov.ph/post/view/?t...

asean2026.gov.ph

ASEAN 2026 Post

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

CPTPP ISDS dispute with Mexico progresses with claimant Almaden filing Reply, including increase in damage claim to US$2.68 billion static1.squarespace.com/static/5ed92...

static1.squarespace.com

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

IPEF is still a thing - "IPEF members discuss response to supply chain disruptions caused by Middle East crisis" (although only nine members participated) en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN2026...

en.yna.co.kr

IPEF members discuss response to supply chain disruptions caused by Middle East crisis | Yonhap News Agency

SEOUL, May 26 (Yonhap) -- Members of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) held a vir...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Singapore-NZ’s Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies is now signed and the text is public: www.mfat.govt.nz/en/trade/nz-...

mfat.govt.nz

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

The 10th meeting of Chief Negotiators of China's DEPA Accession Working Group met this week in Korea: www-mofcom-gov-cn.translate.goog/xwfb/rcxwfb/...

www-mofcom-gov-cn.translate.goog

中国加入《数字经济伙伴关系协定》（DEPA）工作组举行第十次首席谈判代表会议

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

Australia and Singapore have signed a Protocol on Economic Resilience and Essential Supplies - www.trademinister.gov.au/minister/don... - it will be interesting to see the actual text. 1/3

trademinister.gov.au

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

Singapore and Australia to establish an "Economic Resilience Dialogue" and conclude a protocol to their FTA on "Economic Resilience and Essential Supplies" (sounds like NZ-Singapore's AOTES www.mfat.govt.nz/en/trade/nz-...) - www.pm.gov.au/media/joint-...

mfat.govt.nz

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Future of Investment and Trade Partnership (FIT-P) parties have issued a Joint Statement on Maintaining Open and Resilient Supply Chains, affirming their intent to keep supply chains open and refrain from new barriers in the context of the Hormuz closure www.mfat.govt.nz/en/media-and...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

Aus Trade Minister at the National Press Club was asked about beef/lamb outcomes. His answer included reference to the broader value of Australia being seen to support rules-based "free and fair" trade: youtu.be/xag_sDj-GDU?...

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Reposted by Devon Whittle

Peter Ungphakorn @coppetainpu.bsky.social · 28/03/2026

This is an intriguing announcement at the WTO Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé. It doesn’t explain how the “interim arrangements” on e-commerce would work. Do participants just amend their domestic laws and regulations (as @politico.com ⬇️? Is there admin support? How would disputes be settled? 1/2

wto.org

Members adopt a pathway to bring E‑Commerce Agreement into force via interim arrangements

Sixty-six members, covering approximately 70% of global trade, have adopted a pathway to bring into force the WTO Agreement on Electronic Commerce through interim arrangements while continuing to work...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Aus-EU FTA has now been concluded, no texts released yet, but some useful info already released from both sides: www.dfat.gov.au/trade/agreem...; policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/eu-trade-rel...;

dfat.gov.au

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

CPTPP's first SOM for 2026 opened this week in Hanoi. Vietnam's theme for the year is "Shared Visions – Shared Actions", and priorities include the CPTPP upgrade, accessions, and external dialogues vietnamnet.vn/en/first-sen...

vietnamnet.vn

First senior officials’ meeting of CPTPP in 2026 opens in Hanoi

Vietnam’s CPTPP chairmanship 2026 is implemented under the theme “Shared Visions – Shared Actions”, reflecting members’ commitment to working together towards long-term development goals and translati...

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Reposted by Devon Whittle

Dane Owens @owendanes.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Pretty crazy how important the blockade of a trade route is right now

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

Lots of interesting provisions in Indonesia's "Agreement on Reciprocal Trade" with the US ustr.gov/sites/defaul... But this one on not making digital services providers support news orgs is particularly interesting for Australia given upcoming reforms: piji.com.au/blog/news-ba...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

Australia's Carbon Leakage Review has found that carbon leakage is adequately addressed in short/medium term but has recommended a border carbon adjustment mechanism be introduced for commodities most at risk (starting with cement and clinker) www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-chan...

dcceew.gov.au

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

Australia's Trade Minister is off to Europe to talk EU-Australia FTA negotiations - www.trademinister.gov.au/minister/don...

trademinister.gov.au

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