The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1990-1997

1992Prime Minister (1990-1997)

Mr Major’s Comments on Subsidiarity – 26 June 1992

Below is the text of Mr Major’s comments on subsidiarity, made in Lisbon, Portugal, on 26th June 1992.


PRIME MINISTER:

I think we begin to put flesh on subsidiarity, we make it live, we explain to people what it means. We look at the examples and we decide to examine that further over the next six months. I think that’s how we’ll do it. That’s a wish not just in the United Kingdom but also in a number of other European countries as well I believe.

QUESTION:

[Mr Major was asked if agreement would be made at this summit].

PRIME MINISTER:

I think we will certainly seek to get some agreements on the principle of subsidiarity over the weekend, yes. But then it’ll have to be carried forward, there’s a great deal of work to be done to make this a living viable way for the community to behave.