In this interview excerpt, Willy Claes, Belgian Minister for Economic Affairs from 1973 to 1974, from 1977 to 1982 and from 1988 to 1992 and Foreign Minister from 1992 to 1994, describes the position of King Baudouin (King of the Belgians from 1951 to 1993) on European integration, emphasising the fact that he was a committed European.

In this interview excerpt, Willy Claes, Belgian Minister for Economic Affairs from 1973 to 1974, from 1977 to 1982 and from 1988 to 1992, Foreign Minister from 1992 to 1994 and Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) from 1994 to 1995, explains how important it is for Brussels to be the seat of international institutions, particularly the European institutions and especially from an economic point of view.

In this interview excerpt, Willy Claes, Belgian Minister for Economic Affairs from 1973 to 1974, from 1977 to 1982 and from 1988 to 1992 and Foreign Minister from 1992 to 1994, shares his generally positive impression of the interest and level of understanding of Members of the Belgian Parliament with regard to European issues.

In this interview excerpt, Willy Claes, Belgian Foreign Minister from 1992 to 1994, discusses the negative outcome of the Danish referendum on the Treaty of Maastricht in 1992 and the reaction from the other Member States of the European Communities, particularly the decision to introduce various derogations.

In this interview excerpt, Willy Claes, Belgian Minister for Economic Affairs from 1973 to 1974, from 1977 to 1982 and from 1988 to 1992, Foreign Minister from 1992 to 1994 and Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) from 1994 to 1995, shares his impressions of the personality of Margaret Thatcher, British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990. Claes stresses the fact that, in his view, relations on European issues were more harmonious with non-British partners.

In this interview excerpt, Willy Claes, Belgian Minister for Economic Affairs from 1973 to 1974, from 1977 to 1982 and from 1988 to 1992 and Foreign Minister from 1992 to 1994, explains how Belgium found itself in a difficult situation in the early 1990s: its high levels of debt threatened to prevent the country’s entry into Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), given that countries wishing to join EMU had to fulfil certain convergence criteria. Claes also notes that the impending ratification of the Treaty of Maastricht had a major influence on the Belgian political climate.

In this interview excerpt, Willy Claes, Belgian Minister for Economic Affairs from 1973 to 1974, from 1977 to 1982 and from 1988 to 1992 and Foreign Minister from 1992 to 1994, outlines the main matters on the agenda for the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Communities from July to December 1993. Claes particularly focuses on the Uruguay Round, the international negotiations that led to the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995.

In this interview excerpt, Willy Claes, Belgian Foreign Minister from 1992 to 1994, outlines the difficulties, challenges and opportunities for the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Communities between July and December 1993.

In this interview excerpt, Joseph Weyland, Permanent Representative to the European Communities from 1984 to 1991, describes Luxembourg’s position on the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Communities in 1986.

In this interview excerpt, Willy Claes, Belgian Foreign Minister from 1992 to 1994, explains how the establishment (by the Treaty of Lisbon, which came into force on 1 December 2009) of a permanent President of the European Council provides continuity in European policy. He also believes that the six-month Presidencies held by Member States are no longer necessary.