The benefits of European integration As President Obama said during his recent visit to Europe: “…at a time when the European project is facing challenges, it’s especially important to show the benefits of economic integration.”6 I believe that the way Europe addresses its current challenges does not only matters for our own future prosperity. It also holds lessons for the rest of the world.
European integration translated European values into tangible benefits: EU citizens today have the right to live, work, study and do business anywhere in the Union. They enjoy equal judicial protection, guaranteed by European courts of law. In fact, the establishment of a single European market was never solely about economic 1/4  BIS central bankers' speeches  efficiency.