And national parliaments are charged with the duty of ensuring compliance with the principle of subsidiarity.

ECONOMIST: By invitation

EU's much-flouted principle of subsidiarity (acting at the lowest level of government).

ECONOMIST: The European Union in crisis

And he said the regulations ran counter to the principle of subsidiarity which requires decisions to be made at a national level if possible.

BBC: EU food aid programme debate

Politicians opposed to the expansion of state power, who take seriously the principle of subsidiarity as a check on cartelised government, are to be found across Europe.

ECONOMIST: Britain’s place in Europe | The

This provision is also inconsistent with the principle of subsidiarity.

ECONOMIST: Europe's constitution

The motion being debated in the Commons on 8 November 2011 said the EU proposals do not comply with the principle of "subsidiarity", the idea that policy should be decided by national parliaments and not EU institutions wherever possible.

BBC: EU bank regulation motion