Historically, the main benefit of being a citizen of an EU country has been that of free movement.

The free movement also applies to the citizens of European Economic Areacountries[21] and
Switzerland.[22] However, with the creation of EU citizenship, certain political rights came into being.
The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union[23]provides for citizens to be "directly
represented at Union level in the European Parliament" and "to participate in the democratic life of
the Union" (Treaty on the European Union, Title II, Article 10).