The general aim of the principle of subsidiarity is to guarantee a degree of independence for a lower authority in relation to a higher body or for a local authority in relation to central government. It therefore involves the sharing of powers between several levels of authority, a principle which forms the institutional basis for federal States. In spite of the fierce discussions surrounding it, the principle of subsidiarity continues to have a prominent place in the functioning of the multi-layered governance model of the European integration process. In particular, the principle determines when the EU is competent to legislate, and contributes to decisions being taken as closely as possible to the citizen.