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 President of the Party of European Socialists (PES) from 1992 to 1994, describes his memories of the establishment of the PES at the Hague Congress in 1992, the difficulties within the party caused by differences of opinion and the role of European political parties.

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 President of the Party of European Socialists (PES) from 1992 to 1994, emphasises the importance, for the development of the European Parliament itself, of public funding for European political parties and their recognition in the treaties. Claes also discusses the European political party summits held prior to European Councils and the part they play in subsequent decisions taken at Community level.