In this interview excerpt, Philippe Maystadt, Belgian Finance Minister from 1988 to 1998, outlines the specific positions adopted by Belgium in the negotiations on the Maastricht Treaty on European Union. He particularly mentions the establishment of criteria to be met by countries wishing to join Economic and Monetary Union.

In this interview excerpt, Philippe Maystadt, Belgian Finance Minister from 1988 to 1998, describes the discussions at the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) over the question of the independence of the future European Central Bank.

In this interview excerpt, Philippe Maystadt, Belgian Finance Minister from 1988 to 1998, describes the main debates at the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) which was held to lead to the signing of the Treaty on European Union. He particularly mentions the discussions over the introduction of a form of economic governance in the euro zone and the establishment of unemployment criteria to determine countries’ eligibility to join EMU.

In this interview excerpt, Philippe Maystadt, Belgian Finance Minister from 1988 to 1998, outlines the issues that were resolved by the Heads of State or Government of the Twelve at the Maastricht European Council on 9 and 10 December 1991, especially the distribution of voting rights within the governing bodies of the future European Central Bank and the establishment of a deadline for the effective start of 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, explains why the composition of the Delors Committee, set up to examine and propose practical steps for the gradual establishment of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), had a major influence on the outcome of the committee’s work. Chaired by Jacques Delors, President of the European Commission, this committee was composed of the central bank governors and three independent experts.

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, looks back at the debates on the aims of the European Central Bank and stresses the threefold mission of this institution: price stability, financial stability and economic growth.

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 main similarities and differences between the two reports on the establishment of an Economic and Monetary Union: the Werner Report of 8 October 1970 and the Delors Report of 12 April 1989.

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 a participant in the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), looks back at the debates over the concept of economic governance in the euro zone during the negotiations on the Treaty on European Union. He also discusses this issue with regard to the euro zone crisis in the late 2000s.

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 Ecofin Council during the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 1993, describes the crisis that hit the European Monetary System (EMS) in 1993. He particularly explains how the risks of disintegration of the EMS were avoided by a widening of the fluctuation margins between currencies, thereby enabling the transition to the second stage of 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 personality of 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.