Political scientists have pointed to the European Union ( EU ) as an exemplar of multilevel governance reaching above the level of the state. Negotiations over policy occur between the central EU bodies and the member states, among the member states, and between the member states and various sub-state entities within their boundaries. The pattern of interactions thus involves actors from the public and private sectors and from multiple levels of government - sub-state, state, and regional.
Political scientists have distinguished between two varieties of multilevel governance. One form of multilevel governance provides for relatively restricted interactions among organizations within a particular geographical area. The other form of multilevel governance involves broader inter- actions among organizations linked by a specific function or policy.