Jacques Delors was European Commission President from 1985 to 1995, during which time he promoted further European integration and a single currency. The French politician made a speech in 1988 in which he made the prediction that “in ten years, 80 percent of the legislation related to economics, maybe also to taxes and social affairs will be of Community origin.” However, this was more than just a prediction, it was an “ambition” according to Charles Powell, a key foreign policy adviser to Margaret Thatcher.
He said in an article in The Guardian on October 12, 1992 that the Maastricht Treaty was intended to be a step towards a federal European state.
Mr Powell claimed: “When Delors said some time ago that 80 percent of the decisions now taken by national governments and parliaments would soon be taken in Brussels it was not idle speculation: he was articulating an ambition.”
Mrs Thatcher and Mr Delors had many disagreements during their concurrent time leading the UK and the EU respectively.
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