In this interview excerpt, Fabrizio Saccomanni, Head of the Foreign Department at the Bank of Italy from 1984 to 1997, looks back at the creation of the European Monetary Institute (EMI) and its role in the preparations for the establishment of the future European Central Bank (ECB) and the introduction of the European single currency. He also emphasises the decisive action taken to this end by Alexandre Lamfalussy, General Manager of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) from 1985 to 1993 and President of the European Monetary Institute (EMI) from 1994 to 1997.

In an article for the monthly publication Louvain published in December 2001, a few days before the entry into circulation of the euro, Baron Alexandre Lamfalussy, former President of the European Monetary Institute (EMI) and Emeritus Professor at the Catholic University of Louvain (UCL), outlines the successive stages and the difficulties involved in the implementation of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), laying particular emphasis on the role played by the EMI.

Am 13. Dezember 1996 stellt der Präsident des Europäischen Währungsinstituts (EWI), der Belgier Alexandre Lamfalussy, der Presse am Rande des Europäischen Gipfels von Dublin die Muster der zukünftigen Euro-Banknoten vor.

Le 13 décembre 1995, à la veille du Conseil européen de Madrid, Alexandre Lamfalussy, président de l'Institut monétaire européen, se montre confiant que le sommet donnera une grande impulsion à la réalisation d'une monnaie unique.

On 6 January 1994, the French weekly economics magazine L’Expansion portrays the Belgian Baron Alexandre Lamfalussy who, since 1 January, has been President of the European Monetary Institute (EMI) in Frankfurt which has responsibility, in particular, for the final stage of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and for the preparations for the introduction of the single European currency.

On 26 May 1997, Ferdinando Riccardi, Editor-in-Chief of Agence Europe in Brussels, welcomes the positive signs regarding the transition to the third stage of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on 1 January 1999 and the introduction of the euro.

In this interview excerpt, Niels Thygesen, Adviser to the Governor of the Danmarks Nationalbank from 1973 to 1983, Chairman of the Danish Economic Council from 1983 to 1985 and a member of the Delors Committee set up to study and propose practical steps that would lead to the gradual establishment of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) from 1988 to 1989, describes the balance of power within the Delors Committee, emphasising the role played by the two rapporteurs, Gunter Baer and Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa, Jacques Delors, President of the European Commission, Karl-Otto Pöhl, President of the Bundesbank, and Alexandre Lamfalussy, General Manager of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS).

In this interview excerpt, Niels Thygesen, Adviser to the Governor of the Danmarks Nationalbank from 1973 to 1983, Chairman of the Danish Economic Council from 1983 to 1985 and a member of the Delors Committee set up to study and propose practical steps that would lead to the gradual establishment of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) from 1988 to 1989, discusses the personality and experience of the constituent members of the Delors Committee. As well as Thygesen himself, the committee was composed of the following members: Frans Andriessen, Miguel Boyer, Demetrius J. Chalikias, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, Maurice F. Doyle, Willem F. Duisenberg, Jean Godeaux, Erik Hoffmeyer, Pierre Jaans, Alexandre Lamfalussy, Jacques de Larosière, Robert Leigh-Pemberton, Karl Otto Pöhl, Mariano Rubio and José A.V. Tavares Moreira.