Pozycja polityki rozwojowej w pracach Parlamentu Europejskiego

The aim of the research, the results of which are presented in the article, was to determine the importance of development policy for the European Parliament. The analysis is focused on the last two terms of the EP (VII and VIII). The research uses the method of source analysis and statistical method, as well as elements of participatory observation. The research on the importance of development policy in the work of the Parliament took into account the quantitative dimension – the number of members of the Development Committee; the number of adopted reports as well as the qualitative dimension – the internal prestige of the Parliament’s bodies, the attractiveness of chairing these bodies, the degree of autonomy of development policy. The hypothesis of great importance of development policy in the work of the Parliament was not confirmed. Development policy does not occupy an important place – neither quantitatively or informally. It is less important to the majority of MPs than foreign and security policy, even though Parliament has less power in these areas than in development policy.