the services sector and different requirements for e-commerce. In addition separate national markets still exist for financial services, energy and transport. Laws concerning the recognition of professional qualifications also may not be fully harmonized. The Eurasian Economic Union, the Gulf Cooperation Council, CARICOM and the European Union are current examples of single markets, although the GCC's single market has been described as "malfunctioning" in 2014. The European Union is the only economic union whose objective is "completing the single market". A completed, unified market usually refers to the complete removal of barriers and integration of the remaining national markets. Complete economic integration can be seen within many countries, whether in a single unitary state with a single set of economic rules, or among the members of a strong national federation. For example, the sovereign states of the United States do to some degree have different local economic regulations (e.g. licensing requirements for professionals, rules and pricing for utilities and insurance, consumer safety laws, environmental laws, minimum wage) and taxes, but are subordinate to the federal government on any matter of interstate commerce the national government chooses to assert itself. Movement of people and goods among the states is unrestricted and without tariffs. Benefits and costs A single market has many benefits: with full freedom of movement for all the factors of production between the member countries, the factors of production become more efficiently allocated, further increasing productivity. For both business within the market and consumers, a single market is a competitive environment, making the existence of monopolies more difficult. This means that inefficient companies will suffer a loss of market share and may have to close down. However, efficient firms can benefit from economies of scale, increased competitiveness and lower costs, as well as expecting profitability to increase as a result. This is true especially for companies selling goods and services easily distributed all around the countries of single market. Consumers are benefited by the single market in the sense that the competitive environment brings them cheaper products, more efficient providers of products and also increased choice of products and their quality. What is more, businesses in competition will innovate to create new products; another benefit for consumers. Single market play significant role in increasing prosperity of nations involved in this area. For example, single market helps European Union to achieve annual growth of GDP with 2.2% p.a. between 1992–2006,