iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

IPEF (Fund for Technical Assistance and Economic Cooperation) is still a thing - DFAT hosted a Regional Policy Dialogue on Disability-Inclusive Supply Chain Resilience last week in Singapore lnkd.in/p/gtpKJhqe www.facebook.com/cdpo.org/pos...

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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 · 26/08/2026

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

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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 · 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 · 28/07/2026

PERES's consultation provision (first screenshot) is less detailed than AOTES (other screenshots). PERES also doesn't have the carve-out for SPS and fisheries quota management that AOTES has. 8/11

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

PERES has a "shall endeavour" obligation to not use Art XI:2(a) to restrict essential supply exports, and an obligation to limit any restriction imposed and notify the other party if a restriction is imposed. 7/11

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

AOTES says the parties cannot use Art XI:2(a) of the GATT in relation to "essential supplies". Art XI:2(a) allows for export restrictions "to prevent or relieve critical shortages of foodstuffs or other products essential to the exporting contracting party" 6/11

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

PERES's definition of "supply chain disruption" (image 1) is shorter than AOTES (image 2) (mostly due to examples). Substantive differences are that AOTES applies to services and requires "significant" impact not just impact. PERES also says "as determined by either Party". 5/11

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

Under the AOTES there is a 7 page list of products by HS code (HS-4 with a non-published version at HS-6 digit level), separate for each party. 4/11

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

The draft ALP National Platform also contains this paragraph - doesn’t mean the government will do this, but renegotiating LMT waivers across Aus past agreements is a big task! laborconference.org.au/files/2026_A...

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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

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 · 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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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 · 09/02/2026

Lots of interesting things in this analysis of China’s AI registry, including a “China-ASEAN Legal Model” - an AI tool for “legal coordination and mutual recognition between China and ASEAN”. Also explicitly linked to RCEP (see Google translate of dsjfzj.gxzf.gov.cn/dtyw/t211636...).

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

I don't see where the DEPA lets parties opt-out of modules? And has any DEPA party done this? The more plausible explanation of the 'module' language is that these could be 'picked up' by other agts ... but so can FTA chapters (modules are just chapters - as NZ's NIA says!).

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

UK and Indonesia have signed an Economic Growth Partnership, focused on cooperation/info-sharing including on clean energy, digital trade and supply chain resilience www.gov.uk/government/p... also refers to Indonesia’s OECD and CPTPP ambitions

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

The release of Australian Government Cabinet records from 2005 today includes two trade-related minutes. The first on Australia's Trade Negotiating Agenda (recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetri...), the second on the Australia-China Free Trade Agreement (recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetri...)

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 13/12/2025

More detail on the October IPEF supply chain tabletop exercise including that it focused on critical minerals disruptions: biz.chosun.com/en/en-policy...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

And also other initiatives including some joint interpretations for Investment (on NT, MFN, MST, right to regulate, and dominant and effective nationality), and dialogues on economic coercion (to share info and coordinate responses) and market distorting practices. 8/8

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

And tucked in an Annex, more detail on the upgrade - featuring domestic regulation in Services, AI and other issues in E-Commerce, and supply chain resilience. 7/8

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

No Secretariat yet, but a "Unit" (with upper case U) is coming to "provide administrative support". Report on the Unit due in 2026. 6/8

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

The first General Review is done and upgrade negotiations are coming for E-Commerce, Services, Trade Facilitation, and Women's Economic Empowerment. 5/8

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

Costa Rica accession still going... just a reporting coming in a month and aim to conclude "in a timely manner". But next negotiation to start with Uruguay, and then potential for UAE, Philippines and Indonesia to commence in 2026 (without any guarantee of membership). 3/8

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

A few references made to economic cooperation and market distorting practices - the former particularly relevant given China's recent measures against Japan. 2/8

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

Australia's Dept of Industry, Science and Resources has launched a consultation on reforms to Australia's trade remedies system (submissions due 14 Dec) - "Australia faces heightened risks from unfairly priced imports and shifting regulatory landscapes": consult.industry.gov.au/strengthenin...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

Interesting tool from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy - the Anatomy of Choice Alignment Index shows how ASEAN’s Member States have shifted between China and the US on range of indicators including trade www.hinrichfoundation.com/research/art...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 17/11/2025

Enjoyed this redaction from a New Zealand cabinet paper release - I wonder what the AEM meetings were dominated by... www.mfat.govt.nz/assets/OIA/O...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 06/11/2025

Malaysia’s MITI has released a FAQ on its recent Agreement on Reciprocal Trade with the US: www.miti.gov.my/ART including pushback on idea that it requires Malaysia to follow US trade measures

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 02/11/2025

Jotted down some of my thoughts on last week’s US deals with Cambodia and Malaysia, focused on services and digital trade: open.substack.com/pub/tradenot...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

RCEP Leaders Summit Statement is out (asean.org/wp-content/u...) Two points: 1) the commitment to not breach RCEP, potentially pointed at requirements in new US deals? 2) RCEP General Review & digital trade, would upgrading digital trade rules conflict with US deals?

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

Lots being written on the US deals with Malaysia, Cambodia, etc. Some of this drafting is interesting - this provision just refers to "certain countries". Assume the details will be agreed later?

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 25/10/2025

ASEAN announces substantial conclusion of Digital Economy Framework Agreement negotiations, including provisions on data flows, e-payments, MLETR, personal data, and AI cooperation. Looking forward to seeing the text! asean.org/asean-econom...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

Just took a look at the text the EU proposed in its CEPA with Indonesia (on left) - took a new approach of recognising transmissions as services (so in one way broader than CPTPP language, on right) circabc.europa.eu/ui/group/092... No guarantee Indonesia accepted this of course. 1/2

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

Looking forward to reading the EU-Indonesia CEPA text - particularly on digital. The outcomes factsheet suggests Indonesia has bound its commitment first made to the US to not impose duties on electronic transmissions... (a step towards the JSI?) policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/eu-trade-rel...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

India to agree to non-discriminatory treatment of digital products rule in US deal? ecoti.in/eA5Cra89 via @economictimes

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 13/09/2025

IPEF hopes still spring eternal? www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/pen...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 30/08/2025

India and Japan Fact Sheet on Economic Security Cooperation includes a reference to IPEF - www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/files/... #IPEFstillathing (One Indian journalist suggesting its a snub at Trump - theprint.in/diplomacy/sn...)

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 13/08/2025

Australia's Ministerial Council on Trade and Investment has met. Communique is here: www.trademinister.gov.au/minister/don...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

USTR Greer sets out his (Trumps?) vision for global trade and heralds the "Trump Round" of negotiations. This reference to 'enforcement' must be cold comfort for counterparties - unilateral action if the US decides you're in breach and no real recourse if the US decides it doesn't want to comply.

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 07/08/2025

IPEF is still a thing? Suggestion India looking at leveraging IPEF (and the Quad) in Trump tariff negotiations www.livemint.com/politics/pol...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 06/08/2025

"New Trump tariffs: early modelling shows most economies lose – the US more than many" theconversation.com/new-trump-ta...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

Looks like Japan has released an updated CPTPP Policy (sets KPIs around implementation and policies to achieve): www.cas.go.jp/jp/tpp/tppin... Also includes reference to using General Review to look at economic coercion (according to Google translation)

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

Some good sentiments on upholding international rules, strengthening WTO, collective action, not wanting “might over multilateralism” or forcing outcomes with “economic coercion” from Australia’s Foreign Minister www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/pen...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

Also interesting, the RCEP Joint Committee (RJC) can't recommended commencing accession until it has finalised the ToR for an Accession Working Group (para 3.3). In May the RJC met and discussed ToRs for AWGs (english.mofcom.gov.cn/News/Signifi...)

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

I had missed that RCEP Ministers agreed accession procedures last September: asean.org/wp-content/u... (still holding out hope for India, see para 2.7)

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

UK's new trade strategy includes using CPTPP as platform for working with EU and ASEAN www.gov.uk/government/n...

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Devon Whittle @devonwhittle.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

Interesting table in the (highly redacted) incoming government brief for Australia's Trade Minister (www.dfat.gov.au/sites/defaul...). Makes case for EUFTA. Also shows that four of the five CPTPP accession applicants without an FTA with Australia are <0.1% of Australia's trade

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