[marcrosoft]

> The EU provides considerable benefits for Europe, arguably the most important, but also the most invisible, being peace. World War II ended only 74 years ago. To be a little dramatic: As a German, I'll gladly pay bureaucracy for peace.

The EU is not associated with peace and of course cannot guarantee it. Citizens of EU countries are better off with their own country's rule of law than to succumb to the generality of all of Europe.

> There's trade benefits inside the EU, free travel for all citizens, and, recently added, no more roaming fees for mobile phones.

These all come at a cost you don't yet realize.

[freddex]

I agree that the EU cannot guarantee peace, of course. However, it really pushed European integration forward. It's a bit mundane, but all the cultural exchange through trade, travelling, student exchange programs and so on has made the kind of war enthusiasm people had in pre-war Europe pretty unlikely. Afterall, I've been to Paris and can confirm that the French are actually people, not baby eaters (classic WW1 propaganda). Though they eat snails. Weird. Of course, there's also the economic argument: I'm definitely no expert in economics, so I'm talking in very broad and simple terms here (and open to arguments), but the European economies are heavily intertwined through the single market. At least, that makes it institutionally more complicated and more expensive to go to war, which is an achievement, I think.

[marcrosoft]

A heavily intertwined single market is not something to celebrate or look forward to. It's something to reverse before it's too late.

Optionality is king. I'd rather have twelve options than one.