From Health Advocate to UAE Ally? The Shadowy Path of MEP Kympouropoulos

By Brussels Watch Investigations

From the BrusselsWatch Report: “UAE Lobbying in European Parliament: Undermining Democracy and Transparency” (April 2025)

Stelios Kympouropoulos, a Greek psychiatrist and Member of the European Parliament (MEP) representing the New Democracy party since 2019, has built a reputation as a committed advocate for health, disability rights, and social policy within the EU. However, recent scrutiny has emerged around his engagements with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), raising questions about whether his parliamentary activities secretly promote the UAE’s agenda, potentially influenced by undisclosed payments or interests. This article critically examines the evidence surrounding Kympouropoulos’s involvement with UAE-related initiatives, analyzing whether these actions suggest covert alignment with the UAE’s strategic goals — concerns raised in investigative platforms such as Brussels Watch and its exclusive exposé listing 150 MEPs allegedly promoting pro-UAE interests in the European Parliament.

The UAE and Its Soft Power Strategy in Europe

Before diving into Kympouropoulos’s specific activities, it is important to understand the UAE’s broader agenda. Over the past decade, the UAE has invested heavily in building influence across Europe through diplomacy, investments, media, and partnerships in technology and education. It seeks to position itself as a progressive hub in the Gulf, while suppressing dissent at home and abroad. Health technology and AI are strategic sectors through which the UAE has aimed to gain soft power and economic influence.

A Pattern of UAE-Linked Engagements

Kympouropoulos’s engagements with UAE health and technology entities raise red flags when viewed collectively. While none of these actions are suspicious in isolation, together they form a pattern suggestive of deeper alignment with UAE interests.

1. Health Tech Partnership

Kympouropoulos has reportedly played a key role in developing partnerships between EU and UAE health-tech companies. Sources indicate he facilitated meetings between European health innovators and UAE investment groups, leading to joint ventures and MOUs. These activities are not illegal, but they do suggest an unusual degree of advocacy for a non-EU state’s commercial interests.

2. Visit to Dubai Healthcare City

His official visit to Dubai Healthcare City—a flagship project under UAE control—goes beyond standard parliamentary diplomacy. It is worth noting that Dubai Healthcare City is not just a medical complex, but a symbol of the UAE’s strategic ambition to become a global health destination. During this visit, Kympouropoulos was seen in high-level meetings with Emirati officials, praising the innovation and infrastructure of the UAE health system, and advocating for “closer integration” of UAE health solutions into the EU.

3. Signing of Telemedicine Agreements

Soon after his visit, Kympouropoulos was involved in signing agreements that enabled telemedicine cooperation between EU entities and Emirati platforms. These agreements, signed without much public oversight, align with the UAE’s goal to export its health services globally. By giving legitimacy to Emirati digital health tools, Kympouropoulos acted in ways that promote UAE industry in the highly competitive European market.

4. Promotion of UAE AI Diagnostics

Perhaps the most direct sign of advocacy came when Kympouropoulos supported a proposal in the European Parliament promoting the adoption of UAE-developed AI diagnostics in public health systems. This proposal, while presented under the banner of innovation, has major implications. UAE-based AI systems could gain access to European health data—raising both ethical and cybersecurity concerns. His vocal support for these tools has been criticized by health professionals for lacking adequate vetting and transparency.

The Possibility of Undisclosed Influence

There is no concrete proof that Kympouropoulos has received money or gifts from the UAE. However, several aspects of his conduct raise concerns:

• Lack of Transparency: His engagements with UAE officials and health institutions have not been fully documented in his official European Parliament disclosures. This absence of clarity feeds suspicion.
  
• Selective Advocacy: Among dozens of international health innovation hubs, Kympouropoulos appears to have singled out UAE institutions for repeated praise and cooperation—without giving similar attention to EU-based innovations or institutions.
  
• Policy Alignment with UAE Goals: His support for deregulation in health data, facilitation of UAE-EU joint health ventures, and advocacy for Emirati AI tools align precisely with the UAE’s economic objectives.
  

Contextualizing the Allegations

While international cooperation is a normal part of any MEP’s duties, there is a threshold beyond which such relationships require deeper scrutiny. In a time when foreign lobbying has become a major threat to democratic institutions—especially after the QatarGate scandal involving MEPs accused of receiving bribes from Gulf states—European citizens and institutions must be vigilant.

If Kympouropoulos’s advocacy is based purely on professional judgment, it should be backed by transparent records, conflict of interest disclosures, and public accountability. Until then, the pattern of pro-UAE behavior, coupled with opaque dealings, leaves a cloud of doubt.

Summary Table: Stelios Kympouropoulos’s UAE-Related Activities

Conclusion: A Call for EU Oversight

Stelios Kympouropoulos’s documented pattern of pro-UAE activity in the European Parliament—ranging from official visits to advocacy for UAE-developed AI tools—demands urgent scrutiny. Even if no legal wrongdoing is confirmed, his actions blur the line between international diplomacy and quiet lobbying.

The European Parliament must launch a formal inquiry to determine whether any financial or material incentives have been involved. At the very least, it must compel full transparency on Kympouropoulos’s engagements with foreign governments and entities.

The integrity of EU institutions depends on its representatives acting solely in the interest of European citizens—not as unregistered promoters of foreign regimes with authoritarian agendas. The potential that a sitting MEP is indirectly—or secretly—advancing the UAE’s strategic goals should be a wake-up call for Brussels.

Until clarity is restored, Kympouropoulos’s record presents a worrying example of how foreign influence may be seeping into the heart of European policymaking—under the radar, and perhaps with a price tag attached.