iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Truly the EV tariff agreement between the UK and the EU shows the folly of trying to micro manage trade policy for industrial purposes. As a result, Korean EV imports to either partner will be taxed less than sales across the Channel.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

1/2 Fantastic, erudite, debate on what Thucydides tells us for today’s world about the nature of power in international relations at @hellenicsociety.bsky.social last night with academic thinkers expert in the classical and modern world. Watch it soon on their website !

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

“Many of the same people who complain most loudly about [US] deficits were also the most eager to reject tariff revenue that would reduce deficits.” Stephen Miran via @financialtimes.com That’s because the fiscal policy and the tariff policy are both wrong.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

I note HM Treasury still hasn’t published any proper econ analysis of its plans to abolish the small parcels exemption and is doing its best never to have to. There’s a measure @andyburnham.bsky.social could abolish to help with the cost of living. www.gov.uk/government/p...

gov.uk

Reforming the customs treatment of low value imports into the UK

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

The EU and UK are (again) moving towards a position where it is going to be cheaper to import a Japanese or Korean EV into either country/bloc than to trade between UK and EU. From January 2027 - absent common sense - tighter rules of origin mean that many UK and EU EV cars will pay a 10% tariff.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

1/2 The @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social continues to push for “fortress Europe” in areas such as cars, whilst bemoaning the fact that the UK is open to China. The EU would do better to get rid of (self initiated) barriers with UK and other trading partners which constrain cross border trade in EVs.

Extract from CER article about trade defence against Chinese cars

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

One for @samuelmarclowe.bsky.social from holiday conversations. Talking to an art dealer in France, as one does, he was bemoaning Brexit hassles. The answer he said is to get the clients to go to Ireland to pick up the art work and take it to the UK. Swiss hassle is even worse though, encouragingly.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

At a time when Ancient Greece is topping the bill, here’s something else to stimulate your thinking. Everyone from Mark Carney to Xi Jinping is quoting Thucydides to make points about today’s power politics, but what are the real lessons from the past? Details below @hellenicsociety.bsky.social

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

“Brussels has rebuffed a British request to participate in decision-making in the EU, further delaying a deal to reset post-Brexit relations with the bloc.” @financialtimes.com I’m shocked, shocked I tell you.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

I’m cautious about signing up to too much where the UK commits to follow future EU changes without any say (aka dynamic alignment). But if Parliament agrees to dynamic alignment in certain areas, it makes no sense to require primary legislation for every subsequent change.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

My piece for @capx.co on why globalisation hasn’t failed but is a victim of its own success. capx.co/globalisatio...

capx.co

Only World War Three could turn it back

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

OK where do I file my compensation law suit ?

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

How do you stop getting 90% of your @bsky.app feed being about US politics ?

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

I see that the EU supported China in arguing that the US Inflation Reduction Act breached WTO rules, with which unsurprisingly the WTO panel agreed. How does that square with Buy European restrictions I wonder ?

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

Always goods to read @robertshrimsley.bsky.social Rutherford Hall @financialtimes.com. An adjacent article on gym equipment seems to have escaped from the column…

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

Would you say that a speech one of whose main points was misleading was brilliant ? I agree with Martin Wolf @financialtimes.com that Mark Carney’s comparison of Communism and the rules based system was misleading (“The reality of a world after rupture”). That seems a pretty major flaw in the speech

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

Great analysis in trademark style !

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

Having to seek refuge on @bsky.app from the ugliness on X. The Andy Burnham recriminations are like a war with no prisoners taken.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

The question we’re all asking is whether FIFA will demand that President Trump hands back the world peace award they gave him recently.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

“The internet is not a fantasy. It is a real place, real life. X remains a public square. Bluesky, by contrast, is where the teachers’ pets meet after class to study.” Stella Tsantekidou @newstatesman1913.bsky.social Ouch ! But true.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

“The dangerous triumph of neo-mercantilism” great article by Martin Wolf @financialtimes.com. Most politicians are instinctively neomercantilist: they laud exports and decry imports. But many also see that better living standards require economic change. That’s the case for liberalism.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

It’s bad enough that @gideonrachman.bsky.social ‘s articles @FT are always wholly predictable. But he’s stretched the elastic even further by suggesting that Trump’s tariffs should “prompt Keir Starmer to rejoin the single market.” What, tomorrow ? How about the EU just drop its barriers instead ?

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 17/01/2026

USTR finding that things not entirely going their way.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 17/01/2026

America belatedly discovers the benefits of multilateral trade liberalisation … @financialtimes.com

US complains about EU Mercosur deal impact on US farmers

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

Good news for trade and common sense for Canada. There was never any justification for the EV tariffs.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

It looks like we can stop talking about China’s surplus of over $1trn. That is goods alone. China is likely to run a deficit of more than $200bn in services. None of that avoids the challenges posed by China’s approach on trade but it is misleading that the media only focus on goods.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

The futile search for the cost free tax rise goes on: at @drodrik.bsky.social talk at #LSEevents yesterday the good old transaction tax aka stamp duty got rather too sympathetic a response. I’m sure that would encourage savers to put their cash into the shares the UK Govt is trying to push.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

Great to hear @drodrik.bsky.social speak at #LSEevents this evening on “shared prosperity in a fractured world”. Lots to ponder on raising living standards, tackling climate change and relieving global poverty. Much rests on an industrial policy for services NOT manufacturing.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

What should businesses be looking our for on international trade in 2026 ? My thoughts on the US, UK/EU, China and the competing dynamics of fragmentation and alliance building, for Pagefield: www.pagefield.co.uk/news-insight...

pagefield.co.uk

Five trade trends to watch out for in 2026 - Pagefield

After one of the most disruptive years ever for trade in 2025, what are the things we should watch out for which will indicate the direction of travel in 2026? The impact of the mid terms on US trade ...

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

The Theresa May EU deal (which Labour opposed) had: - alignment on industrial goods regulation - freedom to diverge on services - a non CU common tariff (“magical thinking”) Ironically it looks like we are trying to go back to exactly that.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 23/12/2025

@samuelmarclowe.bsky.social given the title of your substack we are waiting for your view on the US proposals to reform the WTO, notably by doing away with the principle of MFN. Are we in an era of LFN (Least Favoured Nation, with no special deals) ?

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 21/12/2025

Repeat after me: “there is no such thing as ‘a’ customs union with the EU. There is only membership of ‘the’ EU Customs Union.” In the sense that any country with ‘a’ CU (only Turkey btw) simply follows the rules set by EU member states. Better to join the EU @wesstreeting.bsky.social

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

“Car industry issues warning on EU plan to ease petrol ban” @financialtimes.com This looks like a classic case of complexity heaped on complexity to create some theoretical model which is totally unworkable in practice. It is all too easy for Government - at whatever level - to do this.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 17/12/2025

You can debate the cost of rejoining Erasmus but it makes a lot more sense than rejoining the Customs Union outside the EU.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 15/12/2025

Yeah I had some problems with the Greens but that’s gone away fortunately.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

I’m afraid the BBC has fallen at the first hurdle in explaining the Customs Union. Apparently it creates tariff free trade (which we already have with the EU). @samuelmarclowe.bsky.social your help needed.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 06/12/2025

My letter @thetimes.com on why it makes more sense to rejoin the EU than join their customs union or single market but stay out, which would pose major risks for the UK.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

I have never been one to have our illusions that the EU “needs” the UK to be successful. It is much more powerful than the UK. But in the light of some of the economic policies emanating from Brussels (steel tariffs on everyone; domestic content requirements) I am starting to revise my opinion….

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

This is also a breach of the EU’s WTO obligations as far as I can see. Or maybe the EU now thinks cars are a matter of national security. Where have I heard that before and what did the EU say about it ?

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

Europe goes back to the 1970s: “Brussels pushes for more to be ‘made in Europe’” @financialtimes.com

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

I’m sure Minouche Shafik is far too intelligent to suggest simply joining the EU Customs Union without any influence over the way it works and the tariffs it sets, which would be the only option on offer from the EU, leaving aside any financial contribution which might be needed.

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John Alty @johnalty1.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

Funeral for a friend. Pascal Lamy points the finger at himself when he criticises the Dutch Single Market Cioner for actually trying to do his job and complete the single market for services. “Politically hamfisted” means opposed by France and Germany. Championed by the UK. @financialtimes.com

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