ABSTRACT
The fundamental feature that separates regional and federal states from unitary structures is the division of policy responsibility between at least two tiers of government. As demonstrated in Chapter 10, such neat divisions of public authority are very difficult to achieve in practice. Even the most formal systems of divided sovereignty incorporate a high degree of functional overlap. This makes co-operative relationships between the central and regional tiers the norm. The intergovernmental institutions explored in the previous chapter are therefore fundamental to the operation of a successful regional system.
