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 .
“Time to Accelerate: Together Against Cancer” is a roadmap of recommendations for the future of EU cancer policy under the next European Commission 2024-2029. It represents the result of inputs and consultations with many organisations and individuals active in pan-European cancer policy cooperation, and specific consultation with the Focused Topic Networks of the European Cancer Organisation.
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.
read morePolitical 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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ECO Celebrates World Immunization Week 2025
World Immunization Week 2025 (24–30 April) is a campaign led by the World Health Organization to highlight the life-saving power of vaccines.
At the European Cancer Organisation, we are proud to support this initiative by raising awareness of the critical role of HPV and hepatitis B vaccination in cancer prevention. These vaccines are among the most effective tools we have in the fight against seven different cancers.
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Improving women’s health must become an EU priority
The European Cancer Organisation responds to the SANT Consultation
A call for gender-sensitive EU actionThe European Cancer Organisation (ECO) has submitted its formal response to the European Parliament’s Public Health Subcommittee (SANT) consultation on women’s health — urging lawmakers to address the unacceptable gender gaps in cancer care.
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ECO welcomes the European Commission’s Roadmap for Women’s Rights
On 7 March, in the wake of International Women’s Day, the European Commission unveiled its long anticipated Roadmap for Women's Rights This initiative sets a transformative agenda, establishing eight guiding principles in support of women’s rights in Europe.
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Ensuring the legacy of the HPV South East Europe Conference
On Friday 14 March, the European Cancer Organisation held a follow-up meeting for the HPV South East Europe conference. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all the participants. The community's insights and contributions were invaluable as we continue to work towards advancing HPV prevention and control across the region.
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Building a Skilled Cancer Workforce: Seizing the Opportunity of the Union of Skills Initiative
The European Cancer Organisation welcomes the European Commission’s launch of the Union of Skills initiative and commends the EU’s commitment to investing in people as a key driver of competitiveness. Strengthening the skills base across Europe is fundamental to ensuring economic growth, innovation, and resilience in key sectors, including health and cancer care.
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Health Stakeholders advocate for enhanced collaboration in European Health Data Space (EHDS) Implementation
5 March 2025, Brussels - A coalition of 39 leading representatives from the European health community has published a joint statement welcoming the publication of the European Health Data Space (EHDS) regulation in the EU’s Official Journal. The group emphasises the need to swiftly establish an inclusive and well-resourced Stakeholder Forum to ensure the effective implementation of the EHDS.
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Cancer survivors deserve better: Fresh call to new European Commission on a “Right to be Forgotten”
20 January 2025, Brussels.The Patient Advisory Committee of the European Cancer Organisation has today made a public appeal to the new European Commission to re-initiate action on establishing an EU-wide approach to prevent financial discrimination against cancer survivors.
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European Parliament creates its first public health committee in full standing
18 December 2024, Brussels: During the final plenary session of the year, the European Parliament approved the creation of a standing committee for public health (SANT) for the 2024-2029 legislature.
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Council Adopts New Recommendations to Restrict the Use of These New Tobacco Products in Public Spaces and Reduce Exposure to Second-hand Smoke and Aerosols
3 December 2024
Member States Representatives of the Health Affairs Council met today to approve the update of the 2009 Council Recommendation on smoke-free areas, recognising the harmful effects, particularly for young people, of second-hand exposure to smoke and aerosols in outdoor spaces.
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European Societies call EU to Not Lose Momentum on Tobacco Policy
5 November 2024
Noting the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s Mission Letter1 to the Commissioner Designate Olivér Várhelyi, calling on a comprehensive approach to health promotion and disease prevention across the life course, the European Cancer Organisation, the European Lung Foundation, the European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention, the European Respiratory Society, the European Society for Medical Oncology, the European Society of Cardiology, Lung Cancer Europe, Lungs Europe, the Smoke Free Partnership, jointly call for acceleration of the implementation of the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan (EBCP) during the new European Commission mandate.
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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.
