Having laid down the general economic benefits of financial integration, I would now like to discuss the reasons for fostering financial integration which are specific to the ECB and which explain why we attach the highest importance to this process. First, financial integration has implications for monetary policy.
Your two organizations, under the leadership of your presidents, Mr. Renato Garcia for PETEF and Ms. Dittas Formosa for ITAP, together, play a pivotal role in the fulfillment of the government’s thrust to harness the benefits of the phenomenal improvements in Information and Communications Technology or ICT. Information has always played a vital role in our history.