Devon Whittle
@devonwhittle.bsky.social
Previously w/ @dfat & @agdgovau, and private practice. Worked on #ISDS #RCEP #CPTPP #IPEF #WTO JSIs #deepseabedmining. Views only my own.
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
November 6, 2025 at 6:44 AM
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
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...
November 2, 2025 at 4:53 AM
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...
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?
October 29, 2025 at 7:25 AM
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?
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?
October 27, 2025 at 11:55 AM
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?
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...
October 25, 2025 at 9:18 AM
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...
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
September 29, 2025 at 12:38 PM
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
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...
September 24, 2025 at 12:22 PM
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...
India to agree to non-discriminatory treatment of digital products rule in US deal? ecoti.in/eA5Cra89 via @economictimes
September 22, 2025 at 2:04 AM
India to agree to non-discriminatory treatment of digital products rule in US deal? ecoti.in/eA5Cra89 via @economictimes
IPEF hopes still spring eternal? www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/pen...
September 13, 2025 at 12:16 AM
IPEF hopes still spring eternal? www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/pen...
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...)
August 30, 2025 at 2:30 AM
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...)
Australia's Ministerial Council on Trade and Investment has met. Communique is here: www.trademinister.gov.au/minister/don...
August 13, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Australia's Ministerial Council on Trade and Investment has met. Communique is here: www.trademinister.gov.au/minister/don...
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.
August 7, 2025 at 11:17 PM
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.
IPEF is still a thing? Suggestion India looking at leveraging IPEF (and the Quad) in Trump tariff negotiations
www.livemint.com/politics/pol...
www.livemint.com/politics/pol...
August 7, 2025 at 12:47 AM
IPEF is still a thing? Suggestion India looking at leveraging IPEF (and the Quad) in Trump tariff negotiations
www.livemint.com/politics/pol...
www.livemint.com/politics/pol...
"New Trump tariffs: early modelling shows most economies lose – the US more than many" theconversation.com/new-trump-ta...
August 6, 2025 at 2:54 AM
"New Trump tariffs: early modelling shows most economies lose – the US more than many" theconversation.com/new-trump-ta...
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)
Also includes reference to using General Review to look at economic coercion (according to Google translation)
July 11, 2025 at 11:46 PM
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)
Also includes reference to using General Review to look at economic coercion (according to Google translation)
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...
July 10, 2025 at 4:56 AM
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...
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...)
July 1, 2025 at 1:19 PM
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...)
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)
July 1, 2025 at 1:17 PM
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)
UK's new trade strategy includes using CPTPP as platform for working with EU and ASEAN www.gov.uk/government/n...
June 26, 2025 at 10:50 AM
UK's new trade strategy includes using CPTPP as platform for working with EU and ASEAN www.gov.uk/government/n...
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
June 13, 2025 at 2:00 AM
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
Great social media post from Malaysia's trade minister
May 16, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Great social media post from Malaysia's trade minister
The Digital Economy Partnership Agreement should have just called its chapters Chapters and not 'Modules'.
May 7, 2025 at 12:27 PM
The Digital Economy Partnership Agreement should have just called its chapters Chapters and not 'Modules'.
Joint Statement of ASEAN+3 (China, Japan, Korea) Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors includes reaffirmation of rules-based trading system asean.org/wp-content/u...
May 6, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Joint Statement of ASEAN+3 (China, Japan, Korea) Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors includes reaffirmation of rules-based trading system asean.org/wp-content/u...
Note Goods MFN clauses in FTA are rare. One example is the PACER Plus agreement
April 30, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Note Goods MFN clauses in FTA are rare. One example is the PACER Plus agreement