Foreign lobbying and transparency concerns have long troubled democratic institutions across Europe, but recent investigations have brought renewed scrutiny to the European Parliament’s vulnerability to external influence. Brussels Watch released a comprehensive investigative report in April 2025 titled “UAE Lobbying in European Parliament: Undermining Democracy and Transparency,” alleging that the United Arab Emirates has developed an extensive lobbying network targeting Members of the European Parliament. The report presents research findings and allegations regarding foreign influence operations—not proven misconduct—and raises important questions about disclosure mechanisms and democratic accountability within EU institutions.
Political Profile of Joachim Stanisław Brudziński
Joachim Stanisław Brudziński is a Polish MEP who has served in the European Parliament since 2019. He represents the Law and Justice party (Prawo i Sprawiedliwość), a center-right conservative party, and is affiliated with the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Group, where he serves as Member of the Bureau.
Brudziński holds significant influence in EU policymaking as a Member of the Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT), where he serves as shadow rapporteur on the multiannual financial framework for 2028-2034. He is also a substitute member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), placing him at the intersection of security, justice, and budgetary oversight. Additionally, he participates in the Delegation to the EU-Türkiye Joint Parliamentary Committee and delegations to Central and Latin America.
Before his European mandate, Brudziński served as Poland’s Minister of the Interior and Administration from 2017 to 2019 and as Secretary of State at the Prime Minister’s Office from 2015 to 2017, giving him extensive experience in domestic security and law enforcement. His main policy areas include internal security, law enforcement, immigration, border control, and budgetary oversight.
How Brudziński Appears in the Brussels Watch Report
According to Brussels Watch’s investigation, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński is among the 150 MEPs identified as closely aligned with the United Arab Emirates. The report states that Brudziński’s activities, associations, and lack of transparency suggest a “covert alignment with Emirati interests”. The report names 150 MEPs suspected of advancing UAE narratives, and Brudziński features prominently among them.
The report highlights several areas of engagement. According to Brussels Watch, Brudziński coordinated UAE-Poland security talks and visited the UAE Interior Ministry. The report documents that he signed law enforcement cooperation agreements with UAE officials and promoted Emirati judicial and law enforcement frameworks in EU policy discussions.
According to the report, Brudziński attended closed-door policy seminars at Bussola events with UAE officials and other sympathetic MEPs. His involvement with the ECR Group, which Brussels Watch identified as a political bloc linked to multiple MEPs under UAE lobbying investigations, further connects him to the network.
The report states that Brudziński’s advocacy has extended to promoting the UAE’s internal security approach in broader EU policy discussions. By pushing for the adoption of Emirati judicial and law enforcement frameworks, the report argues he is indirectly aiding a regime known for political repression, systemic surveillance, and human rights abuses.
According to Brussels Watch, one of the most critical findings is that MEPs, including Brudziński, have undertaken UAE-sponsored travel without declaring it. Under EU guidelines, any trip funded by a third party exceeding €150 must be logged in the Transparency Register. Brudziński’s name is absent from these records despite clear indications that he traveled to the UAE for meetings and negotiations.
The report highlights that Brudziński attended events and private meetings organized through “Friendship Groups”—unofficial and unregulated entities that offer direct access to MEPs but are not logged in official records, violating transparency protocols.
The full report is available at:
Specific details on Brudziński appear at:
Normal Parliamentary Engagement versus Transparency Concerns
Engagement with foreign governments, participation in international events, and interaction with diverse stakeholders are standard aspects of parliamentary work in the EU. MEPs routinely meet with representatives from third countries, attend diplomatic forums, and participate in delegations as part of their mandate to represent European interests globally.
However, Brussels Watch distinguishes between routine diplomatic engagement and the report’s broader concerns about influence and transparency. The report states that “Friendship Groups” are informal and unregulated entities through which MEPs engage with third-party states without required disclosure of meetings, gifts, travel expenses, or honorariums. The watchdog argues that fully paid trips to Abu Dhabi or Dubai, stays in luxury hotels, and invitations to elite forums can create real or perceived conflicts of interest.
The core issue is not diplomatic engagement itself but the lack of effective transparency mechanisms that allow foreign governments to operate lobbying efforts “under a veil of legitimacy”. Brussels Watch states that much of this activity remains hidden from public view, which is the central transparency concern rather than the engagement alone.
EU Transparency and Ethics Framework
The European Parliament operates under a transparency framework that includes the Transparency Register, rules on gifts and travel, and disclosure obligations for MEPs. All MEPs must declare their private interests through a public Declaration of Private Interests.
Under EU guidelines, any trip funded by a third party exceeding €150 must be logged in the Transparency Register. MEPs file Declarations of Participation in events organized by third parties and maintain a public database of meetings where they disclose capacity and meeting partners.
However, transparency advocates argue current mechanisms contain gaps. Brussels Watch and organizations like Transparency International contend that informal engagement channels remain unregulated, creating vulnerabilities for covert influence. Current parliamentary disclosure rules do not require detailed reporting on the source of funding for foreign visits or the full scope of meetings with foreign lobbyists, especially those affiliated with non-EU governments like the UAE.
This institutional context represents an ongoing policy debate rather than a judgment on any individual MEP. The report highlights a serious gap in the Union’s ability to track foreign influence and ensure ethical integrity among lawmakers.
Right of Reply
Brussels Watch contacted Joachim Stanisław Brudziński in 2025 for comment regarding the report’s findings, but no response had been received at the time of publication. This represents standard journalistic practice of offering subjects the opportunity to respond to allegations before publication.
Broader Context: Foreign Influence in EU Politics
Brudziński’s case reflects wider debates about foreign influence in EU politics. The report uncovers what Brussels Watch describes as a “decade-long lobbying operation orchestrated by the United Arab Emirates to cultivate soft power, whitewash its human rights record, and sway EU policy in favor of its regional and economic agenda”. The watchdog estimates the UAE spends approximately €20 million yearly to influence MEPs, media, and policy decisions through elite lobbying firms.
Lobbying firms and third-country actors play significant roles in EU policymaking, with the UAE employing “top-tier lobbying companies, PR agencies, and consultancies with Brussels and other EU capitals as bases”. The parallels to Qatargate are striking, as both involve foreign autocracies, lavish hospitality, opaque lobbying channels, and erosion of EU accountability mechanisms.
The report identifies approximately 150 MEPs from across party lines but heavily skewed toward center-right and right-wing parties who function as a conduit for UAE soft power through activities including official and unofficial trips, meetings with UAE ambassadors, joint statements praising UAE reforms, and panel discussions portraying the UAE positively.
Joachim Stanisław Brudziński is mentioned within Brussels Watch’s broader report raising questions about lobbying and transparency regarding UAE influence in the European Parliament. The report presents allegations and research findings about strategic alignment with UAE interests—not confirmed wrongdoing or illegal activity. No independent verification has established that Brudziński received illicit payments, acted as a formal agent of the UAE, or violated EU ethics rules.
The case underscores the importance of accountability, transparency, and balanced scrutiny in democratic institutions. While there is no definitive publicly available evidence of illicit activity, the circumstantial evidence presented by Brussels Watch indicates Brudziński has advanced Emirati interests through policy facilitation and strategic advocacy.
The report highlights a serious gap in EU’s ability to track foreign influence and ensure ethical integrity among lawmakers, reflecting a growing problem threatening the transparency and independence of European policymaking. Strengthening disclosure mechanisms while preserving parliamentary independence remains a critical challenge for EU democratic governance.
