On Thursday 12 February, the European Parliament called on the European Commission and the Member States to “renew their political commitment to the full implementation of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan throughout the period of the 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework (MFF)”, by ensuring consistency, adequate funding and concrete national action (see EUROPE 13805/8).
In adopting (427 votes in favour, 15 against and 93 abstentions) a joint resolution by several political groups (EPP, S&D, ECR, Renew Europe, Greens/EFA, The Left) on World Cancer Day, the European Parliament regretted that the draft 2028-2034 MFF did not include “dedicated funding” for health and called for the establishment of a specific EU health programme with a dedicated envelope.
The European Parliament stresses that the objectives to be achieved in cancer prevention include measures to “reduce the exposure to risk factors such as tobacco products, harmful alcohol consumption, environmental contamination, air pollution and exposure to harmful materials and substances, such as carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic substances, including PFAS and endocrine disruptors”. MEPs also cite the need for an exposome agenda.
The European Parliament rejected an amendment tabled by the S&D group, considering that several pieces of evidence provided by the WHO establish a clear “link between alcohol and cancer”.
Link to the texts adopted on Thursday: https://aeur.eu/f/kp6 (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)