▁policies ▁in ▁the ▁post - Ma astr icht ▁period . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁was ▁prepar ing ▁for ▁the ▁future ▁en larg ement ▁of ▁Central ▁and ▁Eastern ▁European ▁Count ries ▁( CE EC s ) ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁for ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁Euro zone , ▁and ▁therefore ▁needed ▁to ▁rein force ▁its ▁task - al location ▁model . ▁This ▁model , ▁called ▁EU ▁compet ences , ▁is ▁subject ▁to ▁the ▁two ▁fundamental ▁principles ▁of ▁subs id iar ity ▁and ▁proportional ity . ▁ ▁EU ▁compet ences ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁ 3 ▁compet ences ▁in ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁govern ance : ▁ ▁exclusive ▁compet ence : ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁alone ▁is ▁able ▁to ▁legisl ate ▁and ▁adopt ▁binding ▁acts . ▁Therefore , ▁the ▁principle ▁of ▁subs id iar ity ▁does ▁not ▁apply ▁to ▁this ▁set . ▁shared ▁compet ence : ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁and ▁the ▁Member ▁States ▁are ▁able ▁to ▁legisl ate ▁and ▁adopt ▁binding ▁acts . ▁When ▁the ▁union ▁does ▁not ▁exercise ▁its ▁own ▁compet ence , ▁or ▁refuse ▁to , ▁the ▁Member ▁States ▁exercise ▁their ▁own ▁compet ence . ▁supporting ▁compet ence : ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁can ▁legisl ate ▁and ▁adopt ▁binding ▁acts ▁only ▁to ▁support , ▁coordinate ▁or ▁complement ▁the ▁actions ▁of ▁Member ▁States . ▁Leg ally ▁binding ▁acts ▁must ▁require ▁the ▁harm on isation ▁of ▁the ▁Member ▁States . ▁ ▁The ▁principle ▁of ▁subs id iar ity ▁guarante es ▁that ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁of ▁non - ex clus ive ▁compet ences