In this interview excerpt, Étienne Davignon, Member (1977–1981) then Vice-President (1981–1985) of the Commission of the European Communities with particular responsibility for the Internal Market, Industrial Affairs and the Customs Union, discusses the role played by Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa during his time as Director in the Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs at the European Commission from 1979 to 1983.

In this interview excerpt, Étienne Davignon, Member (1977–1981) then Vice-President (1981–1985) of the Commission of the European Communities with particular responsibility for the Internal Market, Industrial Affairs and the Customs Union, explains the influence of Italian senior officials and some ministers in the negotiation process that led to the establishment of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU).

In this interview excerpt, Étienne Davignon, Member (1977–1981) then Vice-President (1981–1985) of the Commission of the European Communities with particular responsibility for the Internal Market, Industrial Affairs and the Customs Union, describes Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa’s influence in various European networks of influence, whether as Chairman of the ‘Notre Europe’ think tank from 2005 to 2010 or as a member of the Steering Committee of the Bilderberg Group. He also discusses the influence of networks and think tanks on the development of European integration.

In this interview excerpt, Étienne Davignon, Member (1977–1981) then Vice-President (1981–1985) of the Commission of the European Communities with particular responsibility for the Internal Market, Industrial Affairs and the Customs Union, describes the personality of Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa, Director in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs from 1979 to 1983, a member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank from 1998 to 2005, Chairman of the ‘Notre Europe’ think tank from 2005 to 2010 and Italian Minister for the Economy and Finance from 2006 to 2008.