In that sense, monetary union in itself has a clear political dimension. This was only possible because euro area members had achieved a high degree of convergence in attitudes and preferences. It also happens that, in all countries in the world, Central Banks have been made independent in the last decades, and monetary policy has been, as a consequence, depoliticised. This was seen as a necessity to ensure price stability. From that point of view, the euro is no exception and the ECB's mandate is similar to those of other Central Banks. So, monetary union in Europe is well grounded, both on its technical and political pillars. Actually, the euro to day seems to me the main driver for European integration. It exists. It is a success. The institutional process is working smoothly. Sharing the same banknotes and currency has given European citizens a strong sense of common identity and joint destiny. And those who worried that monetary union would impede growth in Europe should be comforted by our recent record. Europe's growth rate to day is equal – or higher – to the US. In the six years since the creation of the euro, twice as many jobs have been created in Europe as compared to the US economy. Admittedly, we are lagging behind in terms of productivity growth, innovation capacity and market flexibility. But there is nothing which cannot be corrected provided the necessary policies are implemented with determination and continuity. This is why, looking beyond the current difficulties, I feel very optimistic.
This is not a traditional mission for a central bank: it is usually focused on monetary policy and financial stability. Yet, I believe that all these missions go hand in hand: whether we are working towards financial inclusion or price stability, the overarching goal is the same – supporting inclusive and sustainable economic growth. On financial inclusion, the role of Banque de France has always been to support the  efforts of public authorities and of the private financial sector in helping widening access to financial services. And this support is provided to help meet 3 main objectives: improving fair access , preventing inequalities of treatment and improving financial 1/5  BIS central bankers' speeches  literacy. Let me take a few examples. To help Improve fair access, Banque de France is part of the “right to an account” procedure set up by French law. If a bank refuses to open a bank account to a client, he or she can make a request to us and we will designate a bank within 24 hours. This specific bank account will provide basic services free of charge. In 2018, 50000 people made use of that right. Reducing the usage cost of a bank account is also essential for financial inclusion. And “fragile” clients, for instance because of low resources or a bad credit history, are the most likely to pay fees because of issues with their accounts – 300 euros a year on average.