Devon Whittle

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...

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

How companies are responding to Trump’s tariffs Reuters is tracking how companies are responding to the threat posed by <a href=

This is a pretty cool data tool from Reuters, tracking the effects of US tariffs using corporate reports.

www.reuters.com/graphics/USA...

#MITI hosted the Second Accession Working Group Meeting of #CostaRica into the #CPTPP from 28 July to 1 August 2025, in Kuala Lumpur. | Sumathi Balakrishnan #MITI hosted the Second Accession Working Group Meeting of #CostaRica into the #CPTPP from 28 July to 1 August 2025, in Kuala Lumpur. Delegates #Australia, #Brunei, #Canada, #Chile, #Japan, #Mexico, #...

#CPTPP Accession Working Group for Costa Rica met last week in Kuala Lumpur www.linkedin.com/posts/sumath...

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CPTPP ISDS arbitration update: Panel denies Mexico's request for bifurcation in dispute brought by Canadian miner Almaden: static1.squarespace.com/static/5ed92...

Tracking Every Trump Tariff and Its Economic Effect

New on Bloomberg : “Tracking Every Trump Tariff and Its Economic Effect”

🚨EU sources say deal done with Trump in Scotland

Japan says $550 billion package in trade deal could finance Taiwanese chipmaker in US TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan's $550 billion investment package agreed in this week's U.S. tariff deal could help finance a Taiwanese firm building semiconductor plants in the U.S., Japan's top trade negotia...

On the Japan $550 billion investment:

"When asked about the White House statement that the U.S. would retain 90% of the profits from the package, he clarified that the figure refers only to returns on equity investment, which would represent a small fraction of the total."

China and Australia held the third meeting of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) Joint Committee via video link on Thursday (ChAFTA entered into force in 2015 and the Joint "Commission" is supposed to meet annually under Art 14.2) www.globaltimes.cn/page/202507/...

Affirmed importance of WTO and said that Aus "will continue to respect the rules and be a partner you can count on." Emphasised need for reform ("how we make decisions, make new rules, and enforce those rules" and on agriculture) and bringing JSI E-Commerce into the WTO rulebook.

Also committed to "concluding a deal with the European Union", "expanding our trade deal with India" (need to catch-up on the UK now...) and expanding CPTPP's membership and deepen its rules.

In a speech to @lowyinstitute.bsky.social, Aus Trade Minister set out 5 principles for Aus policy "in a turbulent global economy". 1) Free & open markets; 2) Rules not power; 3) Cooperation needed; 4) No one left behind; 5) Maintain our values and interests www.trademinister.gov.au/minister/don...

The final text of India-UK CETA is out. @achyuthanil.bsky.social comments on @lbcnews.bsky.social (13.24) that the deal is great for goods & service sectors for both countries. www.globalplayer.com/live/lbcnews...

No wriggle room for Canada in new NZ deal Tough stance by NZ includes provisions to ensure compliance.

“Significantly, if those changes don’t work, there is also provision that quota allocation could move to our first preference of an on-demand system.” www.farmersweekly.co.nz/markets/no-w...

Also "Indonesia has committed to eliminate existing HTS tariff lines on 'intangible products'...; support a permanent moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions at the WTO immediately and without conditions"

www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-st...

The MPIA arbitration appeal in the China - IPRs Enforcement WTO dispute (DS611) is out: docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages...

At a quick glance, it looks like the arbitrators reversed the panel on a key issue, finding for the EU that China's anti-suit injunction policies violate the TRIPS Agreement.

The second dialogue between China and EU on cross-border data transfer, potential agreement on auto data? According to a press release from China's CAC, China and the EU have held their second dialogue on cross-border data flow, an issue that has left companies on both sides in a state of confusion.

Interesting analysis of the second China-EU dialogue on cross-border data flows open.substack.com/pub/geotechn...

Interesting. I haven’t dug into the “minor policy changes” Canada says it is making as a result to the TRQ administration but NZ says it’ll be worth NZ$157m per year so not nothing

New Zealand reaches deal with Canada in long-running dairy trade dispute The deal is expected to deliver up to $157 million to New Zealand dairy exporters.

New Zealand settles its CPTPP dairy TRQs dispute with Canada: www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic... Joint statement: www.canada.ca/en/global-af...

Also a reference to the WTO's E-Commerce JSI: "Both sides ... committed to its incorporation into the WTO framework. In line with this, they would also explore potential ways for cooperation on the agreement's interim implementation."

Leaders' joint statement here is here too: www.pm.gov.au/media/statem... Nothing surprising on trade, nothing on CPTPP accession, very mild reference to RCEP: "The two sides attached importance to cooperation under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement."

I had forgotten about last year's ChAFTA MOU, but now there's a new one for 2025-26. Focus is on actually doing the General Review (not just considering it like the under the last MOU) and getting it done in 2026. As expected no mention of AI... www.dfat.gov.au/sites/defaul...

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)

Vietnam thought it had a deal on its US tariff rate. Then Trump stepped in. Neither side has released documentation of the tariff terms, raising questions about whether they did, in fact, reach an agreement.

Vietnam thought it had a preliminary deal with the US to lower its tariff level substantially.

Then, at the last minute, Trump raised the rate.

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...

FTA arbitration panel appointments: how to express interest We require qualified candidates for free trade agreement (FTA) arbitrator rosters for state-to-state dispute settlement mechanisms under the UK’s FTAs.

UK running an EOI for its list of potential FTA panel arbitrators: www.gov.uk/government/p...

Australia's Productivity Commission has released its annual Trade & Assistance Review, incl. modelling of the impact of US tariffs on Australia (small positive impact on Aus production outweighed by growing uncertainty). Also says Australia should not retaliate www.pc.gov.au/ongoing/trad...

The memorial in the CPTPP ISDS dispute between Almaden and Mexico is now public: www.italaw.com/sites/defaul..., see also: finance.yahoo.com/news/almaden... (and also Mexico's preliminary objections - www.italaw.com/cases/12208)