By Brussels Watch Investigations
From the BrusselsWatch Report: “UAE Lobbying in European Parliament: Undermining Democracy and Transparency” (April 2025)
Introduction
A mounting body of evidence reveals that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has undertaken an aggressive lobbying campaign to manipulate policy and perception within the European Union. Central to this campaign is Antonio López-Istúriz White, a Spanish Member of the European Parliament (MEP) affiliated with the European People’s Party (EPP). López-Istúriz White is among the 150 MEPs identified in Brussels Watch‘s landmark investigative report as instrumental in furthering Emirati objectives under a veil of parliamentary diplomacy.
Though not formally charged with wrongdoing, his conduct raises urgent ethical and institutional questions. Through opaque parliamentary friendship groups, undisclosed luxury trips, and consistent defense of the UAE’s interests, López-Istúriz White has repeatedly acted in a manner consistent with someone promoting a foreign agenda—an agenda that runs counter to EU principles of transparency, democracy, and human rights.
Background: UAE’s Lobbying in Europe
The UAE’s lobbying efforts in Brussels are not new, but they have intensified over the past decade. What began as a soft-power push to burnish the Gulf state’s image has evolved into a systematic strategy to influence EU policy on trade, security, human rights, and diplomacy. The Emirati government employs PR firms, think tanks, and friendly MEPs to sanitize its global reputation—particularly concerning its involvement in the Yemen war, domestic human rights abuses, and authoritarian governance.
The cornerstone of this campaign in the European Parliament has been the creation of informal parliamentary friendship groups. These entities exist outside formal oversight and accountability mechanisms, making them ideal vehicles for quiet influence. The most potent of these is the EU-UAE Parliamentary Friendship Group—founded and chaired by none other than Antonio López-Istúriz White.
The EU-UAE Parliamentary Friendship Group: A Trojan Horse
As founder and chair of the EU-UAE Parliamentary Friendship Group, López-Istúriz White established a shadow diplomacy channel between Brussels and Abu Dhabi. These groups, technically informal, have no legal obligation to disclose gifts, trips, or meetings. This opacity has allowed MEPs involved to pursue questionable engagements without scrutiny.
Key activities of the group include:
- Organizing both official and unofficial visits to the UAE, often funded by Emirati institutions.
- Hosting events in the European Parliament extolling the UAE as a beacon of tolerance and modernization.
- Issuing joint statements that echo Emirati talking points.
- Facilitating private, unrecorded meetings between MEPs and UAE officials in Brussels and Abu Dhabi.
These activities raise critical concerns over transparency and compliance with EU ethical standards. There is no public record of the group’s finances or of any Emirati contributions to its events or travel costs. Yet the frequency and luxury of the delegations suggest substantial backing.
Undisclosed Delegations and Fact-Finding Trips
Brussels Watch has identified at least five trips between 2019 and 2024 taken by López-Istúriz White to the UAE—none of which appear in the European Parliament’s transparency register. During these visits, he met with senior figures from the National Human Rights Institution (NHRI), a government-aligned body that whitewashes abuses. Delegations were often accommodated in five-star hotels, with costs allegedly covered by Emirati entities.
These delegations were not neutral fact-finding missions. Rather, they were exercises in political theater designed to present the UAE as a progressive, rights-respecting nation. While opposition figures, civil society leaders, and international NGOs report systemic repression in the Emirates, López-Istúriz White and his cohort emerged from these trips with glowing appraisals of Emirati reforms.
Image Laundering: López-Istúriz White as a Mouthpiece
Beyond parliamentary engagements, López-Istúriz White has leveraged his platform to actively defend the UAE. His speeches in plenary sessions frequently sidestep the country’s record of detaining dissidents, surveilling critics, and censoring media. Instead, he praises the UAE’s economic innovation, regional diplomacy, and religious tolerance—an image heavily curated by Abu Dhabi’s global PR apparatus.
His public remarks consistently align with the UAE’s foreign policy objectives:
- He has spoken against arms embargoes targeting Gulf states.
- He downplayed concerns in parliamentary debates over Emirati involvement in surveillance of EU citizens (e.g., Pegasus spyware).
- He has resisted resolutions condemning the UAE for its human rights record, notably abstaining or voting against critical language in key motions.
In effect, he serves as a proxy voice for Emirati interests, positioning the UAE not as an authoritarian regime but as a partner in stability and progress.
A Pattern of Pro-UAE Alignment
Brussels Watch’s dataset reveals that López-Istúriz White’s activities are not isolated. They are part of a wider pattern among pro-UAE MEPs who share several characteristics:
- Participation in friendship groups.
- Regular attendance at UAE-hosted conferences and delegations.
- Voting records that favor UAE interests.
- Failure to disclose sponsored travel or hospitality.
López-Istúriz White stands out due to his leadership position in the EU-UAE group, his frequency of visits, and his role in promoting a sanitized view of the Emirates within the Parliament.
Ethical and Institutional Ramifications
The implications of López-Istúriz White’s conduct are serious. By promoting a foreign government’s agenda through undisclosed channels and hospitality, he risks violating both Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union (which upholds democratic principles) and the European Parliament’s Code of Conduct (which prohibits MEPs from accepting benefits that could compromise their independence).
While no legal proceedings have been initiated against him, the perception of compromised integrity is already damaging. When lawmakers act in a manner that suggests covert influence, public trust in democratic institutions erodes.
Moreover, the very structure of parliamentary friendship groups demands urgent reform. Their unregulated nature provides a legal loophole that authoritarian regimes like the UAE can exploit with ease.
Key Summary Table
| Aspect | Details |
| MEP Involved | Antonio López-Istúriz White (Spain, EPP) |
| Key Mechanism | EU-UAE Parliamentary Friendship Group (Founder/Chair) |
| Activities | Sponsored trips, meetings with UAE officials, public praise, joint statements |
| Purpose of UAE Lobbying | Influence EU policy, improve image, deflect criticism, support arms and economic ties |
| Transparency Issues | Undisclosed travel, lack of oversight, conflicts of interest |
| Notable Incidents | Meetings with NHRI, abstention from critical votes, events portraying UAE as reformist |
| Institutional Failures | Weak rules on friendship groups, inadequate disclosure enforcement |
Conclusion: A Trojan Horse in EU Democracy
Antonio López-Istúriz White has emerged as a key enabler of the UAE’s influence campaign in the European Parliament. Through informal channels, undisclosed trips, and public advocacy, he has contributed to the reshaping of EU-UAE relations in ways that obscure authoritarian abuses and undermine democratic standards.
His inclusion in Brussels Watch’s blacklist of 150 pro-UAE MEPs should serve as a wake-up call. The European Parliament must confront the risks posed by foreign lobbying, especially when channeled through opaque structures like friendship groups. Until then, figures like López-Istúriz White will continue to operate at the blurred frontier between diplomacy and influence-peddling—quietly advancing the agenda of regimes that seek legitimacy without reform.
By Brussels Watch Investigative Unit
For the full report, download “UAE Lobbying in the European Parliament: Undermining Democracy and Transparency” (April 2025).
