On Tuesday 3 February, members of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Cancer and Rare Diseases called for the creation of a €2 billion ‘European Cancer Fund’ in the EU’s next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028-2034.
This fund would aim to ensure that the key objectives of the European plan are met, including: the elimination of HPV-related cancers, the advent of a smoke-free generation, universal access to EU-recommended screening programmes and to comprehensive cancer care, improved quality of life for survivors (including an end to discrimination in access to financial services) and ambitious advances in the fight against paediatric cancers.
The creation of this fund would make it possible to relaunch and update Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan with renewed objectives, including improving survival rates.
The revised plan should also better target persistent shortcomings, in particular the rise in rare cancers, as well as those affecting young people and children.
MEPs are also proposing the creation of a permanent European Cancer Institute, or a strengthened coordination mechanism for EU investment in cancer research.
These demands are set out in a declaration adopted by the intergroup at an event organised at the European Parliament by the intergroup chairman, Vlad Voiculescu (Renew Europe, Romanian), with the co-chairs: Stine Bosse (Renew Europe, Danish), Tilly Metz (Greens/EFA, Luxembourgish), Alessandra Moretti (S&D, Italian) and Tomislav Sokol (EPP, Croatian).
The European Cancer Organisation contributed to this event at the European Parliament (https://aeur.eu/f/kk3 ).
Link to the statement: https://aeur.eu/f/kk1 (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)