Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Archives for European citizens

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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Why Schulz could be the new Commission president?

May 27, 2014

Not always the biggest party gives the political lead. Securing political support is the Golden Key of political leadership. The same applies to the EU. I argue that Schulz and not Juncker holds better cards in that game. About European elections and the nomination procedure of the Commission President candidate The European Council composed of… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

EU news & updates, European citizens, European Integration, Social Europe

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Will the ‘Water is a Human Right!’ campaign Shape the EU?

February 25, 2014

We, EU citizens, definitively made history when we have collected first in the EU history more than 1 million signatures to ensure that water will be provided on a human rights basis to everyone. But will it be enough to reduce the EU’s democratic deficit? Will the Commission listen to us and make real, legally… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Civil Society (NGOs), Environment, EU news & updates, European citizens

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One Comment

Yes, We Can – Stop the Tobacco Epidemic in Europe

February 13, 2014

Sad, but true: Europe lost its leadership in the world, as regards tobacco control. Despite the not strong enough, weakened Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), Member States still have the opportunity to go further and put Europe back on the right track of tobacco control. (Source of the photo Official website of the Lithuanian EU presidency… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Agriculture, Civil Society (NGOs), EU news & updates, European citizens, European Integration, Public Health

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2 Comments

Stronger European Tobacco Control is a Must for Solving the E-cigarette Problem

January 31, 2014

Electronic cigarettes will be regulated by the recently negotiated Tobacco Products Directive (TPD). E-cigarettes (nicotine inhalators) are both helpful to quit smoking and source of new dangers: long term adverse effects and re-normalisation of smoking. In my opinion, the regulation of e-cigarettes should be linked to have much stronger European tobacco control measures. What are… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Civil Society (NGOs), Consumer Protection, Environment, EU news & updates, European citizens, Public Health

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3 Comments

Coppenhagen Dilemma and Human Rights: the EU Crossed the Rubicon

January 17, 2014

The European Union crossed the Rubicon of Fundamental Rights. The outbreak of the financial crisis turned into economic then political, institutional and social crisis. Despite evidence on the table, social consequences of the austerity policy were not taken into consideration, yet. It must end now. I will share you my short narrative on the way… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Civil Society (NGOs), European citizens, European Integration, Housing, Human Rights, National minorities, Roma, Social Europe

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One Comment

Ten Reasons to Demonstrate: Criminalisation of Hungarian Homeless is not EU Conform

January 5, 2014

In 2010, a Hungarian Law was amended to allow municipalities to ban homeless people from public spaces. Although this law was ruled unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court, the Consitution has been modified to allow prohibition of homelessness in 2013. I’ve collected 10 reasons why is it totally contrary to European laws and values. The incriminated… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Civil Society (NGOs), EU news & updates, European citizens, Housing, Human Rights, Hungary, Public Health, Social Europe

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2 Comments

My very first year in the EU blogosphere: happy first birthday, EU Hemicycle!

April 14, 2013

Welcome to the EU blogoshphere! This time last year, I made a substantive decision, which completely changed my professional career, my mindset and even more: on 14 April 2012 I've created my very first EU blog. What can motivate an EU professional to start blogging? What are the benefits/dangers of joining the EU blogoshpere? Do… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

European citizens, Hungary, National minorities

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Horsemeat Scandal and the Weaknesses of the Single Market: Does the European Court of Justice (ECJ) Have the Philosophers’ Stone in its Pocket?

February 16, 2013

(on the photo Zoltán Massay-Kosubek in Luxembourg as a lawyer-linguist at the European Court of Justice in 2007 © Zoltán Massay-Kosubek) Why is the Single Market a disaster for consumer protection? The EU common market became a threat and a real danger for consumers. With harmonised legislation and without border control the 4 basic freedoms… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Agriculture, Consumer Protection, EU news & updates, European citizens, European Integration, Public Health

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4 Comments

Only a Massive Increase of the Budget of the ERASMUS Programme Could be a Real European Answer to the Crisis

December 2, 2012

It would be so easy to cut the budget of the ERASMUS Programme to make immediate, short term savings in period of economic crisis. It is true that there is a massive push on national political leaders to achieve as many cuts at European budget level as possible. From this perspective, maintaining the same level… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Culture, Education, European citizens, European Integration, Languages & Culture

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The Water Shortage as a Danger is not the Privilege of the Third World but the Cruel Reality in the EU

October 30, 2012

(Source of the photo: www.right2water.eu/) Is Water a Human Right in the EU? Is Water Shortage a Matter of Concern in the EU? Can We Sweep this problem under the Carpet(as usual)? Yes, yes and no. Yes, I firmly believe that water is a human right. Yes, there are alarming water shortages within the EU.… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Civil Society (NGOs), Consumer Protection, Environment, European citizens, Human Rights, Public Health

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2 Comments

The power of me: 8 key messages from a European Blogger to the Blog Action Day (October 15, 2012)

October 15, 2012

(Owner of the photo © alamodestuff) “Great opportunities are not seen with your eyes. They are seen with your mind.” ~Robert Kiyosaki Being a European blogger I would like to contribute to the Blog Action day with 8 key messages an EU Bloogger (me) could identify in his career so far. 1.) “European Bloggers are… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Civil Society (NGOs), European citizens

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One Comment

Dictated Media Freedom? No Open Press Conference on the 15th EU-China Summit

September 20, 2012

“I don’t make jokes. I just watch the public affairs and report the facts.” – Will Rogers “Freedom of Media is for us … I mean, it is a sacred principle. It is a problem of values. Let’s have no doubts about it.” stated the President of the Commission in respect of the controversial Hungarian… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

European citizens, European Integration, Human Rights

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One Comment

The Cyprus Presidency meets the European Bloggers: 10 key-messages of the Brussels Bubble’s Blogoshpere

August 1, 2012

“A year from now you will wish you had started today.” ~Karen Lamb The European Bloggers were provided before the usual Summer holiday with an opportunity to have a face-to-face meeting with the Cyprus presidency on 26 July 2012 (Thursday). This event took place in the JUSTUS-LIPSIUS Council building’s press room and in the famous… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Culture, European citizens

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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

European Youth Capital – the Example of Cluj, the Treasure City, Kolozsvár, a Kincses Város, Klausenburg, die Schatzstadt

May 11, 2012

(on the photo: Kolozsvár with the Matthias Corvinus Monument made by János Fadrusz Photo © Julie Kertész) “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ~Winston Churchill Why did I focus on the European Youth Capital issue? I discovered the significance of that idea when I participated… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Civil Society (NGOs), Culture, Education, Europe's East, European citizens, European Integration, Hungary, Languages & Culture, National minorities, Regional Policy

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4 Comments

The EU-USA Passenger Name Records (PNR) agreement

April 22, 2012

“Talent wins games, but teamwork & intelligence win championships.” Michael Jordan What are the ‘PNR’? For those who are not aware of the situtation, this time, the focus will be on an international agreement between the European Union and the United States. The subject of this agreement covers the collection of the booking data of… » read more

Posted by Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Consumer Protection, EU Foreign Policy, European citizens, InfoSociety

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Zoltán Massay-Kosubek

Zoltán is Hungarian qualified lawyer ⚖ and a Brussels-based European public health advocate. 💪 He shares his personal views here only.

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 14 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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