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The goal of the article is to analyze the features of the policy making process in Catalonia, embedded in a complex multilevel system of governance. Firstly, we describe the capacity of Catalonia to exercise authority over those who live in the region (or capacity for self-rule) and to exercise authority in the country as a whole (or capacity for shared rule). From 1980 to the present, Catalonia has had an increasing capacity to regulate and implement policies dealing with a wider range of issues, especially after the reform of regional fiscal policy in the late 1990s. However, the capacity of Catalonia to participate in the policy-making process at the national level has remained quite low. Secondly, belonging to the European Union means that there are some opportunities to foster policy change according to their regional interest. However, regional governments have scant capacity to participate in the EU policy-making process. Finally, we highlight that some of these inefficiencies are to be found when analyzing the relationships between the Catalan government and local governments.