In this interview, Edmund Wellenstein, Director-General for Foreign Trade at the Commission of the European Communities from 1967 to 1970, describes the circumstances of his appointment to this post and outlines the relationship between this DG and the Private Office of Commissioner Jean-François Deniau, responsible for negotiations on accession to the European Economic Community from 1967 to 1970.

In this interview, Edmund Wellenstein, Director-General for Foreign Trade at the Commission of the European Communities from 1967 to 1970, explains how the Commission was able to confirm its position as a player on the world stage during the negotiations on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), and particularly outlines the Member States’ reactions to the increasingly influential role of the Commission.

In this interview, Edmund Wellenstein, Director-General for Foreign Trade at the Commission of the European Communities from 1967 to 1970, describes the strategic importance of the European Communities’ relations with Greece and Turkey in the 1960s, particularly highlighting the external influence of the United States.