In this interview excerpt, Philippe Maystadt, Belgian Finance Minister from 1988 to 1995 and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and External Trade from 1995 to 1998, describes the circumstances surrounding his participation in the second government led by Jean-Luc Dehaene, Belgian Prime Minister from 1992 to 1999. He particularly discusses the difficulties associated with his accumulation of ministerial portfolios at that time.

In this interview excerpt, Philippe Maystadt, Belgian Finance Minister from 1988 to 1995 and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and External Trade from 1995 to 1998, explains the main measures taken between 1995 and 1998 by the Dehaene II government to reduce Belgium’s public debt and enable the country to meet the criteria for participation in Economic and Monetary Union (EMU).

In this interview excerpt, Philippe Maystadt, Belgian Finance Minister from 1988 to 1995 and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and External Trade from 1995 to 1998, describes the achievements of Jacques Santer as President of the European Commission from 1995 to 1999.

In this interview excerpt, Philippe Maystadt, Belgian Finance Minister from 1988 to 1995 and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and External Trade from 1995 to 1998, discusses the Stability and Growth Pact adopted at the Amsterdam European Council on 16 and 17 June 1997. He also describes the changes made to the Stability and Growth Pact following the financial and economic crisis in the late 2000s.

In this interview excerpt, Philippe Maystadt, Belgian Finance Minister from 1988 to 1995 and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and External Trade from 1995 to 1998, discusses the failure by Germany and France to comply with the Stability and Growth Pact and describes the changes introduced to the sanction mechanism.

In this interview excerpt, Philippe Maystadt, Belgian Finance Minister from 1988 to 1995 and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and External Trade from 1995 to 1998, emphasises the importance of unified representation of the Eurogroup in international financial institutions.

In this interview excerpt, Philippe Maystadt, Belgian Finance Minister from 1988 to 1995 and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and External Trade from 1995 to 1998, emphasises the efficiency of the transition to the euro in Belgium following its introduction as an accounting currency on 1 January 1999 and the launch of euro coins and banknotes on 1 January 2002.

In this interview excerpt, Philippe Maystadt, Belgian Finance Minister from 1988 to 1995, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and External Trade from 1995 to 1998 and Chairman of the Interim Committee of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from 1993 to 1998, describes the role of the Interim Committee, now the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC), and pays tribute to Michel Camdessus, Managing Director of the IMF from 1987 to 2000.

In this interview excerpt, Philippe Maystadt, Belgian Finance Minister from 1988 to 1995, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and External Trade from 1995 to 1998 and Chairman of the Interim Committee of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from 1993 to 1998, discusses the main aspects of the attempt to reform the international monetary system in the 1990s. This reform, launched by Michel Camdessus, Managing Director of the IMF from 1987 to 2000, particularly involved the use of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs).