Policy
The European Cancer Organisation aims to create and develop ever-strengthening relationships between European institutions and the European cancer care community, and together with our Member Societies, Patient Advocacy Committee and networks, facilitate collaboration and consensus on focused topics towards tangible and impactful policy improvement.
The strategic objectives that underpin all our policy activity are:
- the advancement of multidisciplinarity and patient-centricity in cancer care; and,
- the promotion of policy recommendations for the improvement of cancer care, drawing on the Organisation’s unique multidisciplinary reach.
Read more about our policy approval pathway here.
The European Code of Cancer Practice (The Code), translated in several languages, is a citizen and patient-centred manifesto of the core requirements for good clinical cancer practice, in order to improve outcomes for all of Europe’s cancer patients.
Landmark study on the current state of play in Europe’s battle against cancer produced by the European Cancer Organisation for the European Parliament. Read more here.
Essential Requirements for Quality Cancer Care
The quality of cancer care makes a huge difference to patients and their families. It is multidisciplinarity that ensures that there is real teamwork between the healthcare professionals involved in patient care. We have developed a series of papers that advocate for the highest quality standards.
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The European Health Data Space: Getting The Balance Right and Reaching Interoperability Milestones
28 July 2021
In responding to a recent European Commission consultation on the European Health Data Space, the European Cancer Organisation, supported by its Digital Health Network, has expressed its strong support for the concept, envisaging the initiative to achieve many benefits for healthcare, research and policy. However, in responding to the consultation, the European Cancer Organisation emphasised the need to:
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Primary Prevention: United for Action
July 2021
40% of cancers are preventable. For this reason, both the European Union and World Health Organization actively support countries in policy propositions that can assist in addressing modifiable cancer risks. But are there opportunities to move faster and go further? A new report by the European Cancer Organisation suggests so. "Primary Prevention: United for Action" summarises a series of recommendations from across the cancer and health community that can be instrumental in saving lives and enabling more people to live lives free from cancer.
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World Cancer Day: Energy and Persistence Conquer All Things
February 2021
On World Cancer Day, Dr Matti Aapro, President of the European Cancer Organisation (E.C.O.), made the following remarks reflecting on the international challenges and opportunities facing the cancer community and the need to face them with confidence and determination together:
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Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan: Inspiring us to Rise Above Challenges, Together!
February 2021
Responding to the publication of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, Dr Matti Aapro, President of the European Cancer Organisation, made the following statement applauding these goals:
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Leave No One Behind - Delivering Innovation in Lung Cancer Care
January 2021
The Community 365 Roundtable Meeting on Lung Cancer, which took place on 7 December 2020, brought together leading policy-makers, politicians, oncology experts, industry partners and advocates to mark the launch of the European Cancer Organisation Essential Requirements for Quality Cancer Care (ERQCC): Lung cancer, published in the journal Lung Cancer,[1] and to discuss this important area of cancer care.
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Free from Cancer: Achieving Quality of Life for All Cancer Patients and Survivors
November 2021
The Survivorship and Quality of Life Network of the European Cancer Organisation has collated its recommendations to help more cancer patients and survivors achieve a life truly free from cancer and its often under-appreciated impacts.
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Build Back Smarter from COVID-19: The European Cancer Community Speaks Out
November 2020
With many thousands of excess deaths from cancer across Europe now likely as a result of COVID-19 and associated control measures, and in the wake of devastating disruption across all areas of cancer care, the European cancer community has published a ‘7-Point Plan to Address the Urgency and Build Back Better.’
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It Can Be Done — Beating Inequalities in Cancer Care. Action Report
November 2020
The European Cancer Organisation’s new Action Report It Can Be Done — Beating Inequalities in Cancer Care shines a much needed spotlight on inequity that exists in all parts of cancer care, in all countries in Europe. The report focuses especially on the East-West divide in cancer care, as well as the discrimination that can occur against older cancer patients.
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New Report Urges Action to Eliminate 87,000 Cancer Cases Caused Each Year by HPV in Europe in Women and Men
October 2020
The European Cancer Organisation’s major new report, Viral Protection: Achieving the Possible. A Four Step Plan for Eliminating HPV Cancers in Europe, calls for urgent action to eliminate most of the 87,000 cancer cases caused in men and women by HPV (human papillomavirus) each year across over 50 countries in the WHO European Region.
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Strengthening Europe in the Fight Against Cancer: Going Further, Faster
July 2020
The European Cancer Organisation was commissioned by the European Parliament to produce a landmark study on the current state of play in Europe’s battle against cancer.
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Report of the Mission Board for Cancer - Conquering Cancer: Mission Possible
The Report of the Mission Board for Cancer ‘Conquering Cancer: Mission Possible’ is the Mission Board’s proposal to the European Commission for a Mission on Cancer. This Mission outline will be used as a basis for further stakeholder and citizen engagement activities in the remainder of 2020 and define a broad strategy for the Horizon Europe Framework Programme.
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European Cancer Organisation's Response to EU Pharmaceutical Strategy Roadmap Consultation
The European Cancer Organisation welcomes the commitment to producing a new EU Pharmaceutical Strategy, and the accompanying commitment to public consultation on its content.
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Meeting Report: Elaborating the Essential Requirements for Quality Cancer Care: Prostate Cancer
What are the core elements of quality cancer care when it comes to treating and caring for prostate cancer patients? What might improved EU policy be able to achieve in this respect?
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12 Points for a High Impact Beating Cancer Plan
A checklist for an ambitious, unifying and change-making Plan
Developed in discussion and agreement with members of the European Cancer Organisation and its Patient Advisory Committee, the following 12 points are intended to provide a checklist to ensure that Europe's Beating Cancer Plan meets the needs identified by the stakeholder community.
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Cancer and COVID-19
The Board of the European Cancer Organisation has agreed to launch a Special Network on the impact of COVID-19 on Cancer, on a “task and finish” basis to be co-chaired by Board members Mirjam Crul and Mark Lawler.
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Alliances
We promote and believe in collaboration as a matter of principle. This high level co-operation should exist between oncology healthcare professionals of different disciplines, between health care sectors and with a wider group of stakeholders in public health.
As part of our Mission and Vision, we work as active members of the following alliances:
Mission and Vision
Our Mission
To reduce the burden of cancer, improve outcomes and the quality of care for cancer patients, through multidisciplinarity and multiprofessionalism.
As the not-for-profit federation of member organisations working in cancer at a European level, we convene oncology professionals and patients to agree policy, advocate for positive change and be the united voice of the European cancer community.
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