Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Archives for Health & Consumers

Did We (Temporarily) Loose the Trade Secrets Directive?

January 31, 2016

Genval, 31st January 2016. – Is it really apropriate to raise this question, after the European Parliament’s Legal Affairs (JURI) Committee has endorsed a trilogue deal with the Council on Trade Secrets with an overwhelming political majority (EPP-S&D-ECR-ALDE-EFDD-ENF(!))? I think it is as I believe some of the key public interest concerns were not taken… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Civil Society (NGOs), Health & Consumers, Medicines, Public Health, Research & Development, Trade

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Transatlantic Rupture during Transatlantic Dialogue?

January 27, 2016

Genval, 27th January 2016 – While attending yesterday the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD) conference on the precautionary principle in the context of the Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations between the European Union and the United States, I have noted quite a few funny statements which made me think further. Here are some of them.… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Civil Society (NGOs), Consumer Protection, Global Europe, Health & Consumers, Medicines, Public Health, Trade

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[Guest Post] Who Will Swallow the Hard Pill? – TTIP and Access to Medicines in the EU

January 16, 2016

(author: Laureen Missaire) – The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, a controversial international trade agreement, is being negotiated at this moment and will have some major impact on society and particularly on public health. The negotiations started in July 2013 and the most recent 11th round of negotiations have taken place on 19-23 October 2015… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Health & Consumers, Medicines, Public Health, Trade

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One Comment

Business & Public Interest Groups’ clash on Trade and Public Health

January 13, 2016

Genval, 13. January, 2016 – The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) organised a public hearing today where civil society and business representatives had the chance to exchange views on the so-called ‘Trade for all’ EU Strategy. As regards Public Health, the EU Trade Policy has a major impact on our well-being and I did… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Civil Society (NGOs), Consumer Protection, Global Europe, Health & Consumers, Public Health, Trade

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What did 2015 bring for Public Health?

January 11, 2016

Genval, 11 January 2016. – Very little I must say. It would be very difficult to me to consider the current Commission Work Programme ‘public health friendly’ as its 10 priorities simply and elegantly ignored public health. One of the reasons why the Juncker Commission delivered so little for improving our well-being so far is… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Civil Society (NGOs), Health & Consumers, Public Health

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One Comment

Three Lost Cases for Big Tobacco in 2015

December 28, 2015

Worms, 28 December, 2015. – Why is this a relevant question for a public health advocate? Because of the deadly impact of tobacco consumption on human health and the shameless behaviour of the tobacco industry, as regards tobacco control measures. Concerning the societal harm caused by tobacco use, let’s have no doubts about it: tobacco… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Civil Society (NGOs), Health & Consumers, Public Health

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One Comment

ECJ: No judgement on Alcohol Minimum Unit Pricing

December 26, 2015

Worms, 26. December, 2015. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has delivered recently its strange ‘yes and no’ decision on the Scottish Public Health Policy called Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) of alcohol. The Court ruled that in principle a public health policy which may harm internal market and competition (a policy making the cheapest alcoholic… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Agriculture, Civil Society (NGOs), European citizens, Health & Consumers, Public Health

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Blog (Re)Launch: EU ZMK’s Diary

December 25, 2015

Worms, 25 December 2015. After one and half year break I decided to re-launch my EU blog with a different approach. I will continue to share my thoughts about public health relevant European developments but instead of ‘blogging’ in an ordinary way, I decided to launch a public diary which will allow me to share… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Civil Society (NGOs), European citizens, Health & Consumers, Public Health

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No comments

Will Dalligate mean a delayed Tobacco Products Directive? Don’t Let it Happen!

October 24, 2012

We may not be so silly that we give up before the goal! The real issue behind the whole #Dalligate story is not the future position of a single Commissioner or our shaked faith in President Barroso but the failure or success of the revision of the Tobacco Products Directive (2001/37/EC) (Source of the photo… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Civil Society (NGOs), Consumer Protection, EU news & updates, Health & Consumers, Public Health

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3 Comments

Gondolataim a hálapénz-rendszerről a magyar egészségügyben

June 30, 2012

“Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it’s faced.” ~James Baldwin Comment: this blog entry focuses on the “gratitude money-phenomenon” in Hungary and since this can be considered as a Hungaricum symptom in the Hungarian healthcare system therefore this summary will be edited exclusively in Hungarian since it… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

European citizens, Health & Consumers, Hungary, Medicines, Public Health

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8 Comments

Mini Public Health Day – Second Part (2/2): Mental well-being under economic turmoil: suicides rates are just the top of the iceberg

June 27, 2012

“It’s hard to beat a person that never gives up.” ~Babe Ruth (source of the photo © Mentalhealthhumor.com) “Mini Public Health Day – 19 June 2012” Introductory comment: On the 19th June I faced an inconvenient situation which may occur quit frequently in the life of EU professionals in Brussels due to the high intensity… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Health & Consumers, Public Health, Social Europe

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4 Comments

Mini Public Health Day – First Part (1/2): ‘EMERGING AND RE-EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES’ impressions from the STOA-AVIESAN workshop

June 20, 2012

“It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it.” ~Benjamin Franklin “Mini Public Health Day – 19 June 2012” (Owner of the photo © Shuttersparks) Introductory comment: On the 19th June I faced an inconvenient situation which may occur quit frequently in the life of EU… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Health & Consumers, Innovation & Enterprise, Medicines, Public Health, Research & Development

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2 Comments

Restructuring Health Systems: How to Promote Health in time of Austerity

June 6, 2012

“It has been my observation that most people get ahead during the time that others waste.” ~Henry Ford The Impression of an Independent Health Expert on the Spot – EPHA Conference 06/06/2012 Although there were several health related events on 6th June 2012, I decided to take part in the Annual Conference of the European… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Civil Society (NGOs), Consumer Protection, Environment, EU news & updates, EU Priorities 2020, Euro & Finance, Health & Consumers, Human Rights, Medicines, Public Health, Social Europe

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3 Comments

The EU Health Strategy (2008-2013)

May 31, 2012

A review by MEPs, the Commission and the Civil Society in order to make some useful remarks to the new Health Strategy (2014-2020) “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” ~Lewis Carroll I had the honour to participate in a public workshop organized at the European Parliament on… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Children’s well-being, Civil Society (NGOs), European Integration, Health & Consumers, Public Health

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One Comment

Strategy for Strengthening the Rights of Vulnerable Consumers and the Democratic Function of the EP

May 21, 2012

“At one point in your life you either have the thing you want or the reasons why you don’t” ~ Andy Roddick This time I have willingly chosen the last item on the EP’s plenary agenda on 21 May (monday) and the title reflects this approach. Although the end of the public debate was expected… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Agriculture, Agriculture & Food, Children’s well-being, Consumer Protection, Health & Consumers, Public Health, Roma

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2 Comments

Thought Starter about the Role of REACH

May 15, 2012

“Any person who knows all the answers most likely misunderstood the questions.” ~ Dr. Joyce Knudsen After reading and analyzing a consize article on EurActiv about that issue, I decided to draw the general public’s interest to the significance of the REACH regulation. I hope that this short summary can serve as a thought starter… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Consumer Protection, Environment, Health & Consumers, Public Health, Research & Development

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2 Comments

Improving Patient Outcomes through Intensive Care Medicine (ICM)

May 12, 2012

– Lessons Learned after the Policy Debate in the EP on 16/05/2012 “We believe what we repeatedly tell ourselves. What are you repeatedly telling yourself? “ Foreword Under the auspices of the following 3 public health NGOs European Society of Intensive Care Medicine [ESICM], European Public Health Alliance [EPHA], and LIFE-PRIORITY, a policy debate took… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Civil Society (NGOs), Health & Consumers, Medicines, Public Health, Research & Development

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4 Comments

Legal Framework for Public Health Policies and Financial Viability of Lifelong Disease Prevention

May 7, 2012

“All the so-called secrets of success will not work unless you do.” This blog entry can be regarded as some kind of reaction to another interesting note of Mr. Eberhard Rhein visible on his blog: EU Health Policy should focus on Disease Prevention In this current post we will follow the next topics: 1. The… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

European Integration, Health & Consumers, Public Health

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One Comment

Chemical Coctails and the Way Forward in the Light of the Scientific and Legal Difficulties

May 6, 2012

“Don’t let something that doesn’t matter cause you to lose something that does.” ~Phil Torcivia The problem of Chemical coctails still emerges and can be considered as a relatively new field of chemicals. It is quite easy to understand why are chemical coctails in the very center of interests of scientific and legal professionals and… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Climate & Environment, Consumer Protection, Environment, Health & Consumers, Public Health

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How Healthy is Our Way of Thinking about Healthcare Cost Cuts?

May 4, 2012

“Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all they have.” ~ Jackson Brown Jr. Following a summary on relations between Healthcare costs and budget cuts published on EurActiv in march 2012, I try to further develop this idea which might be an always green subject of budget discussions, especially under the seemingly never-ending financial… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Euro & Finance, Health & Consumers, Public Health, Social Europe

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One Comment

The Choice is Yours: either You Drink or… Re-think the EU’s Alcohol Strategy

May 2, 2012

“Everything around us is made up of energy. To attract positive things in your life, start by giving off positive energy.” Obviously, alcohol consumption is an important issue which is in the center of interests of many of us. Although it belongs to the culture and to our social life, and there is a major… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Consumer Protection, Health & Consumers, Public Health

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Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Zoltán is Policy Manager at the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) and he shares his personal views on public health relevant European policies, as a blogger here.

Zoltán has a proven record on effective campaigning, project delivery and advocacy, and strategic planning, including staff and budget management. Zoltán has extensive knowledge of the Brussels based advocacy arena from a membership based NGO perspective and he is aware of the importance of the internal governance procedures. He has excellent understanding of international diplomacy.

A Hungarian qualified lawyer with a strong commitment to protecting the public interest, he has over 13 years of experience including on international and European affairs at the Ministry for Health of Hungary, as a lawyer-linguist at the European Court of Justice, and as a clerk in national courts.

Zoltán is fluent in English, French, German and native in Hungarian.

Zoltán tweets from @EU_ZMK.


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