In this interview, Jordi Pujol, President of Catalonia from 1980 to 2003 and President of the Assembly of European Regions from 1992 to 1996, explains the role of the Patronat Catalá Pro Europa and of the Catalan nationalist party Convergence and Union, of which Jordi Pujol is one of the founders, in the context of nationalist movements in Europe. He gives his views on the ‘four motors of Europe’, which provide a favourable context for the development of particular contributions of regional identities and initiatives. He also explains the reasons for advocating a structuring of European policy at regional, national and European levels. Finally, he criticises the progressive loss of powers of the Committee of the Regions and, in general, the loss of a ‘European spirit’ among European leaders, a spirit which in the past had been seen, for example, in the consolidation of a Franco-German partnership.