At the event The WEU archives: discover a chapter of European defence, held in Luxembourg City on 17 December 2012, Josée Kirps, Director of the Luxembourg National Archives, particularly focuses on Luxembourg’s role in Western European Union (WEU) from 1948 to 2011 and describes the project to host and promote the value of the WEU archives and to make them available for research purposes.

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, emphasises the importance of the eminent political figures Willy Brandt, German Federal Chancellor from 1969 to 1974 and President of the Socialist International from 1976 to 1992, François Mitterrand, President of the French Republic from 1981 to 1995, Helmut Kohl, German Federal Chancellor from 1982 to 1998, and Jacques Delors, President of the European Commission from 1985 to 1995.

In this interview excerpt, Gérard Deprez, PhD in Sociology from the Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), leader of the Walloon Christian Social Party (PSC) from 1981 to 1996, Member of the European Parliament from 1984 to 1999 (European People’s Party (EPP)), from 1999 to 2004 (Citizens’ Movement for Change (MCC)), from 2004 to 2009 and since 2014 (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE)) and Delegate-General of the European Democratic Party (EDP) since 2004, explains how he first became interested in Europe in his youth following his experiences in the aftermath of the Second World War. He also describes his university and political career, mentioning his PhD thesis entitled ‘The Commission of the European Communities: a sociological essay on a captive organisation’, in which he analysed the Commission’s management methods and its role in the Community system.

In this interview excerpt, Gérard Deprez, political adviser to the Walloon Christian Social Party (PSC) with responsibility for international relations from 1974 to 1979, leader of the PSC from 1981 to 1996, Member of the European Parliament from 1984 to 1999 (European People’s Party (EPP)), from 1999 to 2004 (Citizens’ Movement for Change (MCC)), from 2004 to 2009 and since 2014 (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE)), explains the reasons for his affiliation to the PSC in the early 1970s and for his decision to pursue a career in politics. He emphasises the pro-European heritage of Christian democracy, particularly among the founding fathers of Europe.

In this interview excerpt, Gérard Deprez, PhD in Sociology from the Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), leader of the Walloon Christian Social Party (PSC) from 1981 to 1996, Member of the European Parliament from 1984 to 1999 (European People’s Party (EPP)), from 1999 to 2004 (Citizens’ Movement for Change (MCC)), from 2004 to 2009 and since 2014 (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE)) and Delegate-General of the European Democratic Party (EDP) since 2004, explains how common values can replace nationality and serve as a unifying factor for the European Union. He emphasises the fact that these European values still need to be defined.

In this interview excerpt, Gérard Deprez, political adviser to the Walloon Christian Social Party (PSC) with responsibility for international relations from 1974 to 1979, leader of the PSC from 1981 to 1996 and Member of the European Parliament from 1984 to 1999 for the European People’s Party (EPP), shares his memories of the circumstances and difficulties surrounding the official establishment of the EPP on 8 July 1976 in Luxembourg City. He emphasises the different viewpoints of the parties involved in setting up the EPP.

In this interview excerpt, Gérard Deprez, political adviser to the Walloon Christian Social Party (PSC) with responsibility for international relations from 1974 to 1979, leader of the PSC from 1981 to 1996 and Member of the European Parliament from 1984 to 1999 for the European People’s Party (EPP), shares his memories of the main objectives of the EPP when it was first set up and the competition between European political parties during the 1970s and 1980s.

In this interview excerpt, Gérard Deprez, political adviser to the Walloon Christian Social Party (PSC) with responsibility for international relations from 1974 to 1979, leader of the PSC from 1981 to 1996 and Member of the European Parliament from 1984 to 1999 for the European People’s Party (EPP), shares his memories of the EPP’s manifesto when the party was first set up, particularly its Christian values, its ideology and its federalist leanings.

In this interview excerpt, Gérard Deprez, political adviser to the Walloon Christian Social Party (PSC) with responsibility for international relations from 1974 to 1979, leader of the PSC from 1981 to 1996 and Member of the European Parliament from 1984 to 1999 for the European People’s Party (EPP), shares his memories of the first elections to the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage in 1979. He also discusses the impact of the successive enlargements of the EPP and particularly mentions the authority and political influence of Helmut Kohl, German Federal Chancellor from 1982 to 1998, within the party.

In this interview excerpt, Gérard Deprez, political adviser to the Walloon Christian Social Party (PSC) with responsibility for international relations from 1974 to 1979, leader of the PSC from 1981 to 1996 and Member of the European Parliament from 1984 to 1999 for the European People’s Party (EPP), explains his reluctance to allow the British Conservative Party to join the EPP Group in the European Parliament in 1989. He particularly mentions how, during the 1990s, Helmut Kohl, German Federal Chancellor from 1982 to 1998, and the CDU-CSU were keen for the EPP to incorporate all the conservative parties in Europe, from the centre to the fringes of the extreme right of the political spectrum.