WHO WE ARE

At CEA, we are a dedicated dynamic Brussels-based NGO specialised in EU affairs, offering tailored services to meet the needs of our valued partners. With a strong presence in the European Union’s political capital, we have positioned ourselves as a trusted and influential partner for entities ranging from small organisations to large institutions seeking to navigate the complexities of EU policymaking and governance.

While our primary focus is the European Union, we recognise the interconnected nature of the global economy and the dynamically changing geopolitical landscape. Accordingly, we maintain strong connections across various regions — including the Mediterranean, North and South America, Central Asia, China, the Gulf region, and Africa — as well as with key international forums and organisations.

Our team is composed of seasoned professionals with extensive experience in the European Union, the United States, China, and beyond. We bring together a diverse range of expertise spanning international policy, regulation, and advocacy. Our multidisciplinary team includes public relations and communication specialists, legal and policy advisors, business development experts, and former EU officials — all united by a shared commitment to delivering impactful, high-quality results for our partners.

Our Team

dr. Istvan Ujhelyi

president of council of CEA

is a jurist, former Member of the European Parliament, and currently the ambassador of UN Tourism, responsible for the cooperation with the EU institutions. Over the past decade, he served as vice-chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) as part of the social-democratic group and as an elected representative of Hungary. He was also a member of the European Parliament’s committee on environment and health issues (ENVI) and one of the initiators of the comprehensive European Health Union program.

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GÁBOR BODOR

director of strategy and policy

is a senior EU policy expert with a background in international relations. After receiving his Bachelor’s degree from the Corvinus University of Budapest, he pursued Postgraduate studies at the University of Antwerp in Climate and Energy. In the past years he worked in the European Parliament as a strategic policy advisor on the fields of […]

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LILLA HARANGOZÓ

head of office (CEA)

is an international relations expert, political analyst. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations at Corvinus University of Budapest and a master’s degree in Political Science: European and International Governance at Vrije Universiteit Brussel. In the past years, she has been working in the European Parliament in the cabinet of a Member of the […]

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MARIANA OLESKIV

director of tourism

is a former Ukrainian high-ranking official who has been working in the field of tourism with a focus on convention and marketing sectors for over 20 years. In addition, Ms. Oleskiv worked at the three largest Ukrainian tourism centers – Kyiv, Odesa and Lviv. Between 2020 and 2025 she was the Chairperson of the State […]

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VIKTOR VEREB

senior tourism consultant

is an accomplished tourism industry professional with seven years of experience in the sector, specializing in Chinese outbound travel to Europe. Based in Beijing (China) during this time, he gained in-depth expertise in cross-border tourism development and international market dynamics. As Contracting Manager at HISEAS International Tourism Group—a leading global force in Chinese outbound tourism—he […]

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BEATRIX BOJTOR

senior EU project manager

is a senior EU project management and policy expert with a strong academic background in international relations, diplomacy and sustainable development. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the University of Pannonia, followed by a Master of Science in Urban Planning, Environment Protection and Sustainable Development at the Université de la Sorbonne – […]

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TAMÁS LAJOS SZALAY

strategic & creative consultant

worked as a journalist for more than fifteen years, among others as parliamentary correspondent for the then leading Hungarian political daily Népszabadság. He was a member of the founding team of NOLTv, a pioneer in the production of video content on the online version of the referred daily, which won numerous awards. In addition to […]

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MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY BOARD

MAJLIND LAZIMI

member of advisory board

is an experienced C-level executive, senior economic adviser and management consultant with a solid 14-year professional achievements in complex project management, corporate management, public administration, political and business sphere. His in depth- expertise includes integral economic investment appraisal and project finance related to tourism, infrastructure, and energy projects. Since December 2021, Mr. Lazimi holds the […]

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LAURA VAN DER MEER

member of advisory board

is a specialist in international environmental law and policy and has more than thirty years of experience assisting companies, associations, and non-profit organizations with international and national government relations strategy, advocacy, coalition building, and regulatory compliance. Her consulting work today focuses primarily on positioning clients to contribute positively to legislative and policy processes and fully […]

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TOMÁŠ PETŘÍČEK

member of advisory board

is the director of Progressive Analytical Centre, a Prague- based independent think- tank. He is also a senior non-residential fellow at the Centre of Global Political Economy of the Institute of International Relations in Prague and an associated researcher at the Sciences Po Paris. Since 2022 he has been a member of the Board of […]

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HISHAM ZAAZOU

member of advisory board

started his career in the banking sector (CitiBank Cairo) after his graduation in 1976 from the faculty of commerce (Ain- Shams University). In 1980 he traveled to the USA (Los Angeles) to start his career in tourism by joining R&H Voyages, a tour operator specialized in the Middle East. After a successful career in the […]

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WANG SIHAO

member of advisory board

is an expert on Europa-China affairs and Vice Chair EU-China OBOR Culture, Education, Tourism and Economic Development Committee. Since 2013, he has served as a Senior Advisor on China Affairs to the National Assembly of Hungary, providing long-term strategic insights on policy dialogue, economic cooperation, and cultural exchange between Hungary and China. Drawing upon his […]

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