Abstract

The main purpose of this article is to outline the phenomenon of two-tier system of governance in Europe, that is the one occurring simultaneously on European and national level. The most common examples of this system are the management of public policies and regulatory regime in the EU. In this article, I focus on the political aspects of the system. This includes the legitimacy of power in Europe, as well as the interaction between policy-makers at both levels. Two-tier analysis of the political system requires not only identification of the key actors and institutions involved in the political process, but it is also important to point to the channels of bilateral relations between the European and the national level. The analysis of the information and decisions flows can demonstrate power relations in the European system. This is especially true in relation to informal influences and „behind the scenes” negotiations which could indicate a hierarchy between the different actors in European politics