On the other hand, pension funds management institutions also displayed their function in providing social protection and maintaining social stability. As per the end of 2010, total assets of funds under the management of such institutions exceeded MOP6.2 billion, which covered more than 80,000 employees, the growth rates were 24% and 6.7% respectively. The pace of economic recovery for advanced industrial nations remained slow.
In some ways, this speaks to the challenges of European integration. The individual Member States of the European Union (EU) also seek to flourish. Their actions are interdependent and can both benefit and damage each other. Removing the potential for mutual harm is essential for collective prosperity. This dialectic between the individual and the community is at the core of the European project.