Devon Whittle
@devonwhittle
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Previously w/ @dfat, @agdgovau & private law, now @globalshieldhq. Worked on ISDS, RCEP, CPTPP, IPEF, WTO JSIs, FTA, deep seabed mining. Views only my own.
Canberra, ACT
Joined May 2007
The release of Australian Government Cabinet records from 2005 today includes two trade-related minutes. The first on Australia's Trade Negotiating Agenda ( https://t.co/WvSyvfZclr), the second on the Australia-China Free Trade Agreement ( https://t.co/VfSA9o3SX5)
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The decision in Clive Palmer's first ISDS case against Australia is now public, this was a $300 billion claim that Palmer lost as the Tribunal found he was not a Singaporean investor (Palmer is seeking annulment):
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And the US launches Pax Silica, an initiative focused on AI, critical minerals, etc, supply chains with Australia, Israel, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Singapore, the UAE, the UK (and “guests” from Canada, EU, Taiwan and the OECD)
state.gov
Pax Silica is a U.S.-led strategic initiative to build a secure, prosperous, and innovation driven silicon supply chain—from critical minerals and energy inputs to advanced manufacturing, semicondu...
More detail on this IPEF Supply Chain drill - it focused on critical minerals disruptions: https://t.co/ad0jiAK2UV
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More detail on this IPEF Supply Chain drill - it focused on critical minerals disruptions: https://t.co/ad0jiAK2UV
IPEF is still a thing! South Korea is hosting a "joint drill on responding to a possible global supply chain crisis" as chair of IPEF's Supply Chain Crisis Response Network
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Pre-programmed backflips are fun, but open-ended reasoning is the real challenge for robots. 🤖 @Fryrsquared stepped inside the lab to see how we’re building agents that can understand context and figure things out for themselves – rather than just following a script. Watch our
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Three Explanations for the Foreign Investment Pledges
ielp.worldtradelaw.net
In recent months, President Trump and the Trump administration have been touting a $20 trillion or so figure that they say foreign companies/governments have pledged to invest in the U.S. I've had...
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A New Central Organizing Principle for U.S. Trade
ielp.worldtradelaw.net
In the US Trade Regime class I teach with Matt Nicely, our unit on the regime’s import side has traditionally begun with a review of how the United States classifies trading partners … the “ordinar...
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The Philippines has joined the group of now 73 WTO Members calling for the "Agreement on E-Commerce" (previously the E-Commerce JSI) to be added to Annex 4 of the Marrakesh Agreement as a plurilateral WTO agreement https://t.co/7gI2rhKByb (via @CoppetainPU)
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Official: U.S. proposes permanent e-commerce moratorium at WTO
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Australia's steel industry has lodged a safeguard application requesting the government apply temporary emergency measures to protect the industry as it is "facing an unprecedented surge in imports" https://t.co/HXyZ7FzUNU
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Singapore’s running consultations on UAE’s accession to the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA)
mti.gov.sg
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Australia's Trade Minister says "we're very confident that by the end of the year Costa Rica will have fulfilled all of its obligations to join the CPTPP, and that we will have our 13th member."
trademinister.gov.au
Andrew Clennell: Big day on Sunday Agenda. Joining me live is Trade Minister, Don Farrell from Adelaide. Don Farrell, thanks for your time.
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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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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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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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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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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Also interesting reference to "illegal transhipment" which I haven't seen previously in CPTPP statements (although perhaps has featured) but certainly part of US narrative now (and causing consternation in the region). 4/8
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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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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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Quite a lot in the CPTPP Joint Ministerial Statement today - economic coercion, accession update, general review, a "Unit" (not Secretariat), and more https://t.co/sllrq8t51O 1/8
dfat.gov.au
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