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 Advisory 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.

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Reach Higher for Cancer Care is an advocacy campaign led by the European Cancer Organisation to ensure that cancer remains a political and financial priority in the EU’s next long-term budget for 2028 to 2034.

At a time when the proposed Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) risks diluting the dedicated focus created by Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and EU4Health, the campaign calls on EU institutions and member states to safeguard progress by securing sustained and visible investment in cancer control, research and equitable access to care.

By uniting healthcare professionals, patients, survivors, researchers, policymakers and industry, Reach Higher for Cancer Care seeks to protect momentum, strengthen coordination of cancer research, reduce disparities across countries, and ensure that Europe continues to invest ambitiously in prevention, treatment, workforce capacity and innovation.

 

Check out our policy-driven publications, news and events:

Tracking Inequalities in Cancer

The European Cancer Pulse is a unique data visualisation tool designed to track inequalities and monitor progress in cancer care across Europe, highlighting the factors that influence disparities in cancer care.

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Political Unity for Cancer Action

National & European Parliamentarians for Cancer Action brings together more than 130 relevant policymakers to design better cancer policies in Europe, learn from best practices across the cancer care continuum, and collectively create data-driven recommendations in the fight against cancer. You can find a list of the members below.

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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.

Our Vision

To be a vibrant, pro-active, focused, relevant and influential federation, working together for a cancer free future, ensuring that every patient has high quality care and treatment, with access to the full range of professionals needed.

To create and develop ever-strengthening relationships between European institutions and the European cancer care community, and with our Member Societies, Patient Advisory Committee and Focused Topic Networks, facilitate collaboration and consensus towards tangible and impactful policy improvement.

Our Values

Our essential and enduring values are:

  • Patient Centricity – Putting cancer patients at the centre of our concerns and activities and strive to do the best for them
  • Commitment to Science – Reflecting the very latest scientific knowledge and be completely independent of any vested interests
  • Cohesiveness – We believe in the power of combining the efforts of our members and other stakeholders who have a common mission
  • Inclusiveness – We seek to include all non-profit organisations that share our mission, vision and values
  • Equality and Fairness – All our members have a voice in the organisation and we strive to transcend the interests of any one member
  • Openness and Transparency – We are committed to be transparent in and accountable for all that we do

 

Our Story

In the early 1980s, a few European visionaries working in oncology laid the groundwork for multidisciplinarity in cancer care, entailing that tackling cancer was a team effort that required a coordinated approach. It was a relatively new concept at the time, but 40 years later, multidisciplinarity is viewed as the best approach to cancer treatment.

It was consequently decided to bring together major players in cancer research, treatment, and care in order to create awareness of patients’ wishes and needs, encourage progressive thinking in cancer policy, education, and training, and continue to promote European cancer research and its application through the organisation of a multidisciplinary conference called ECCO - the European Conference on Clinical Oncology (later renamed ECCO-the European Cancer Conference). To strengthen and further develop these ideas, in 1981 six professional societies, ESMO, ESTRO, ESSO, EACR, EONS, SIOPE legally founded FECS (Federation of European Cancer Societies).

After a period of reflection in 2006 and 2007, during which many players in oncology were consulted, FECS was transformed into a new dynamic entity: the European Cancer Organisation. This was officially announced at the European Cancer Conference in Barcelona in September 2007, where the organisation was launched under its new name.

Read our full story here.

Find out more about our Strategy for 2024-2027 here.