Building momentum against cancer

4 July, Larnaka – More than 4,500 Cypriots are diagnosed with cancer each year, adding to the more than 23 million people in Europe currently living with or beyond the disease. 

Europe’s ambitious Beating Cancer Plan and the EU Cancer Mission have initiated unprecedented momentum in cancer prevention, care, and survivorship. We must now build on that progress.

As Europe negotiates its competing priorities and budgets for the coming years, we must ensure that fighting cancer remains a clear, indisputable priority.

That’s the message from today’s landmark event, bringing together leading Cypriot and European policymakers, health leaders, researchers, and patient advocates. The session will culminate with the signing of the Larnaka Call, a powerful push to strengthen European cooperation in cancer control.

This new cross-party political initiative is supported by Andreas Vyras, Mayor of Larnaka, Giorgos Georgiou MEP, and Michalis Hadjipantela MEP and former Cypriot Health Minister.

The Larnaka Call identifies four specific goals:

• That the Cypriot Presidency of the EU Council, starting in 2026, be used as a platform to renew the political mandate for pan-European cooperation in cancer policy and research;

• That the Cypriot Presidency initiates, in consultation with Member States and relevant stakeholders, a commitment to collaborative action against cancer for years to come;

• That the forthcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (2028–2034) provides the necessary funds to continue and sustain all cancer-related programmes launched under the current framework;

• That pan-European cooperation in cancer policy should reduce disparities in cancer control, both between and within countries. This includes equitable access to cancer prevention, early detection, diagnosis, multimodal cancer treatment and multidisciplinary care.

Participating policymakers and experts today include Stella Kyriakides, former EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety; Eleni Tolma, Member of the EU Cancer Mission Board; and Stella Mastora, President of Europa Donna.

Andreas Vyras, Mayor of Larnaka, says: ‘With today’s publication of the Larnaka call, we are conveying a statement. Europe’s policies on cancer matter to town and cities like Larnaka all over Europe. Decisions in Brussels on issues like cancer prevention legislation, treatment standards and new areas of research, can all impact positively at the local and national level. I invite other Mayors and local representatives to express our common desire for strengthened European cooperation on cancer.’

Giorgos Georgiou MEP says: ‘2.6 million people are diagnosed with cancer every year in the EU. However, 40% of cancers are preventable if we implement what we know already, yet only 3% of health budgets is being currently spent on health promotion and disease prevention; therefore, we want to encourage next year's Cyprus Presidency of the EU Council to be a moment to re-establish the commitment of 27 countries to fight cancer together. It is of highly important to bring forward any delayed components of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, including supporting Member States in developing public health policies in cancer prevention.’

Join these leading voices of the cancer community and sign the Larnaka Call digitally.