Foster thanks public after Article 16 E-petition reaches 100,000 signatures
In over 24 hours the petition reached the threshold required to get a Parliamentary response
Last updated 5th Feb 2021
An online Parliamentary E-petition started by the DUP, which called for Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol to be triggered, has reached 100,000 signatures.
This means the issue will be debated in Parliament.
The First Minister took to social media today (Friday) to share the news and urged people to keep signing it.
The Petition was launched at 10am on Thursday morning and in just over 24 hours reached the threshold required to get a Parliamentary response.
The DUP leader said: “As one part of our five-point plan to scrap the Protocol, I applied for and secured a Parliamentary e-petition.
“It is a symptom of the concern, that in just over 24hrs 100k people across every constituency in the United Kingdom have called on Parliament to trigger Article 16 and deliver unfettered GB-NI trade.
“Whilst we have reached the 100k trigger, I encourage people throughout Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom to keep signing and keep registering your support for our campaign to free us from the Protocol.
“The campaign has not finished. We need to keep going.
“We have made the case to the Prime Minister and now the people have made a very public appeal to the Government of their country to act.
“This is not the time for more words and drawn-out processes.
“This time for affirmative action to ensure that there is an unfettered flow of goods within the United Kingdom single market.”
“This e-petition is also a demonstration to those Protocol loyalists who believe it is written on tablets of stone, that they must face reality and accept the Protocol is flawed and must be replaced.
“Thank you to people from all backgrounds across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland who have taken time to add their weight to this campaign.
“In particular, I commend unionist colleagues from across the spectrum in Northern Ireland who embraced this initiative.”
The European Commission has said it is exploring all “flexibilities'' available within NI's post-Brexit trade deal.
President Ursula von der Leyen told NI Assembly Speaker Alex Maskey:
“I can assure you that the Commission has been exploring all flexibilities available under the applicable rules of Union law and within the framework of the protocol, in order to facilitate the implementation of the protocol, whilst fully protecting the integrity of the Union's single market and customs union.''
Inspections on animal-based produce arriving from Great Britain, which are required under the protocol, are currently suspended amid fears for the safety of staff.
Police have blamed menacing graffiti on disgruntled individuals and small groups and have made clear there is no evidence of wider paramilitary involvement in threats.
Sinn Fein's Caoimhe Archibald welcomed the Commission President's commitment.
She said: “This shows that the EU is willing to work on practical solutions to the remaining problems which have resulted from Brexit and our exit from the EU.
“While we condemn the events of last week relating to Article 16, we are assured that the EU have learned lessons and are committed to making the protocol work.
“We call on the British government to show the same resolve by committing to proper solutions to the practical issues.''