NI Protocol: UK could be forced into triggering Article 16 says Arlene Foster

Outgoing First Minister, Arlene Foster, believes it "may well be the case" that Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, will have to trigger Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol because of its impact upon trade.
Andrew Quinn
By Andrew Quinn
Published 20th May 2021, 09:56 BST
Updated 20th May 2021, 09:58 BST
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Mrs. Foster made the comments to journalists as she arrived at 10 Downing Street to meet with the prime minister.

“We’ve said all along, when the European Commission tried to invoke Article 16 at the end of January, that the Europeans were quite happy to do it in terms of vaccines and making sure that they had enough vaccines," said Mrs. Foster.

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“This is doing real damage to Northern Ireland in terms of our trade, but also in terms of the union and therefore the Prime Minister needs to act and I hope that Lord Frost will bring forward proposals very very soon," she added.

First Minister, Arlene Foster, pictured in Downing Street on Thursday morning.First Minister, Arlene Foster, pictured in Downing Street on Thursday morning.
First Minister, Arlene Foster, pictured in Downing Street on Thursday morning.

Mrs. Foster also told journalists that Brexit and the NI Protocol should be viewed separately.

“I think you have to separate Brexit and the protocol.

“The protocol is doing the damage to Northern Ireland.

“Of course I believe in Brexit because I believe that we needed to leave the European Union and all of the stringent rules that were there, to allow us to be more flexible, to allow us to have a place in the world.

“But if the United Kingdom is to have a new place in the world, Northern Ireland must be part of that and at present, because of the protocol, we’re not.”

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Related topics:Arlene FosterBoris JohnsonNorthern IrelandProtocol