Changes in the organization and operation of the administrative apparatus may be caused by various factors, law being the most important factor because administration is significantly determined by law. Furthermore, law reflects the legislator’s axiological catalogue which may include values derived from current ideological systems. One example of this is the concept of partnership, seen as a value realizing the postulate of social inclusion, as well as the norm-defining principle of partnership which refers to the processes of programming and implementation of the EU cohesion policy. EU law affects the Polish legal system and determines its changes, as a consequence of which normative constructions, unknown earlier, are introduced. The principle of partnership, one of the guiding principles of cohesion policy, results in shaping the domestic legal order related to public policies in such a way that it contains standards requiring competent public administration authorities to depart from traditionally applied organizational solutions and imposing an obligation to use innovative methods of operation. This impact is particularly evident for instance in local development policy stipulating involvement of the local community, which is a responsibility of the bodies of territorial self-government.