Addressing Inequalities in Cancer: the Role of Europe-Wide Networks and Infrastructures for Comprehensive Cancer Care

The European Cancer Organisation is holding a special policy-focused event, 'Addressing Inequalities in Cancer: the Role of Europe-Wide Networks and Infrastructures for Comprehensive Cancer Care'.

 

Supported by the Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructures for the European Union (CCI4EU) project among others, this event will showcase the results of flagship EU-funded efforts setting up cancer infrastructures and networks, and highlight lessons for their sustainable impact across Europe.

 

The event is hosted with the support of the EU Parliament’s Intergroup on Cancer & Rare Diseases and will feature the launch of a landmark consensus policy brief on a long-term vision for cancer care and research in Europe.

 

Registrations are now closed. Should you have any questions, please contact info@europeancancer.org. 

 

22 April 2026 10:30 - 12:00 CEST

Rue Belliard 73 (Treves Building), Brussels, Belgium

Cancer Infrastructure and Networks Policy Forum Landscape 1

CCI4EU is a European initiative under the Horizon Europe programme, designed to support member states in developing and strengthening cancer care infrastructures. The project pursues comprehensive cancer infrastructures as a coordinated system of clinical care, research, education, and innovation that integrates hospitals, research centres, networks, data systems, and governance structures. The goal is high-quality, sustainable, and equitable cancer services across a country or region

This event will present a timely policy brief focusing on the current landscape of European cancer infrastructures and networks, developed by the CCI4EU project. The brief summarises key policy-relevant outcomes from consortium experts and offers recommendations to and from EU decision-makers as negotiations accelerate on the next EU long-term budget for 2028-2034.

The discussion will bring together high-level stakeholders, including Members of the European Parliament, European Commission representatives and other strategic stakeholders.

The event will be hosted by the Intergroup on Cancer & Rare Diseases, a cross-party forum in the European Parliament that facilitates dialogue between policymakers, healthcare professionals, and patient organisations to ensure EU policy is evidence-based and patient-centred.

The discussion will bring together high-level stakeholders, including Members of the European Parliament, European Commission representatives and other strategic stakeholders.

The event will be hosted by the Intergroup on Cancer & Rare Diseases, a cross-party forum in the European Parliament that facilitates dialogue between policymakers, healthcare professionals, and patient organisations to ensure EU policy is evidence-based and patient-centred.

Related Resources

  • CCI4EU Official Website
    visit

Speakers

  • Giorgos Georgiou Member of the European Parliament
  • Simon Oberst Director and Chair of the Accreditation and Designation Board, Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI)
  • Kay Duggan-Walls DG RTD, European Commission
  • Thomas Dubois Head of European and International Affairs, National Cancer Institute France (Coordinator of the EUnetCCC Project)
  • Anabela Isidro Board Member, Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation Agency (Coordinator of the ECHoS Project)
  • Paolo Casali (Online) Director of the Medical Oncology Unit 2, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori Milan (Coordinator of the JANE-2 Project)
show all speakers (9)

Speakers

  • Giorgos Georgiou Member of the European Parliament
  • Simon Oberst Director and Chair of the Accreditation and Designation Board, Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI)
  • Kay Duggan-Walls DG RTD, European Commission
  • Thomas Dubois Head of European and International Affairs, National Cancer Institute France (Coordinator of the EUnetCCC Project)
  • Anabela Isidro Board Member, Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation Agency (Coordinator of the ECHoS Project)
  • Paolo Casali (Online) Director of the Medical Oncology Unit 2, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori Milan (Coordinator of the JANE-2 Project)
show all speakers (9)
  • Giorgos Georgiou Member of the European Parliament
  • Simon Oberst Director and Chair of the Accreditation and Designation Board, Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI) Read Bio
  • Kay Duggan-Walls DG RTD, European Commission Read Bio
  • Thomas Dubois Head of European and International Affairs, National Cancer Institute France (Coordinator of the EUnetCCC Project) Read Bio
  • Anabela Isidro Board Member, Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation Agency (Coordinator of the ECHoS Project)
  • Paolo Casali (Online) Director of the Medical Oncology Unit 2, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori Milan (Coordinator of the JANE-2 Project)
  • Kadi-Liis Veiman Head of Estonian Cancer Network ESTCAN (Coordinator of the UNCAN-Connect Project)
  • Sona Ciernikova Associate Professor, Senior Cancer Researcher, Research and Education Project Coordinator, Biomedical Research Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, National Oncology Institute Read Bio
  • Edel Shovlin Chief Operating Officer, Irish Cancer Society
  • Richard Price Policy Director, European Cancer Organisation

Speakers

  • Giorgos Georgiou Member of the European Parliament
  • Simon Oberst Director and Chair of the Accreditation and Designation Board, Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI)
  • Kay Duggan-Walls DG RTD, European Commission
  • Thomas Dubois Head of European and International Affairs, National Cancer Institute France (Coordinator of the EUnetCCC Project)
  • Anabela Isidro Board Member, Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation Agency (Coordinator of the ECHoS Project)
  • Paolo Casali (Online) Director of the Medical Oncology Unit 2, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori Milan (Coordinator of the JANE-2 Project)
show all speakers (9)

 

10:30 – 10:35

Welcome and introduction

Giorgos Georgiou MEP

Richard Price - Policy Director, European Cancer Organisation

10:35 – 10:45

The background and story so far: Developing the concepts of EU-wide networks and infrastructures for comprehensive cancer care

Kay Duggan-Walls - DG RTD, European Commission

10:50 - 11:05

CCI4EU – addressing inequalities by building capacity: Presentation of a new policy brief to address inequalities

Simon Oberst - Director and Chair of the Accreditation and Designation Board, Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI)

11:05 - 11:15

An example of capacity building in CCI4EU to address inequalities – Slovakia

Sona Ciernikova - Associate Professor, Senior Cancer Researcher, Research and Education Project Coordinator, Biomedical Research Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, National Oncology Institute

11:15 - 11:20

The patient perspective on the capacity building experience in Ireland

Edel Shovlin - Chief Operating Officer, Irish Cancer Society

11:20 - 11:40

Ensuring sustainability of EU networks for tackling cancer inequalities in the EU

Thomas Dubois - Head of European and International Affairs, National Cancer Institute France (Coordinator of the EUnetCCC Project)
Anabela Isidro - Board Member, Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation Agency AICIB (Coordinator of the ECHoS Project)
Paolo Casali - Director of the Medical Oncology Unit 2, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori Milan (Coordinator of the JANE-2 Project)
Kadi-Liis Veiman - Head of Estonian Cancer Network ESTCAN (Coordinator of the UNCAN-Connect Project)

11:40 - 11:55

Open floor exchange

11:55 – 12:00

Conclusions and next steps

Simon Oberst - Director and Chair of the Accreditation and Designation Board, Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI)

Richard Price - Policy Director, European Cancer Organisation

Speakers

  • Giorgos Georgiou Member of the European Parliament
  • Simon Oberst Director and Chair of the Accreditation and Designation Board, Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI)
  • Kay Duggan-Walls DG RTD, European Commission
  • Thomas Dubois Head of European and International Affairs, National Cancer Institute France (Coordinator of the EUnetCCC Project)
  • Anabela Isidro Board Member, Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation Agency (Coordinator of the ECHoS Project)
  • Paolo Casali (Online) Director of the Medical Oncology Unit 2, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori Milan (Coordinator of the JANE-2 Project)
show all speakers (9)

Speakers

  • Giorgos Georgiou Member of the European Parliament
  • Simon Oberst Director and Chair of the Accreditation and Designation Board, Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI)
  • Kay Duggan-Walls DG RTD, European Commission
  • Thomas Dubois Head of European and International Affairs, National Cancer Institute France (Coordinator of the EUnetCCC Project)
  • Anabela Isidro Board Member, Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation Agency (Coordinator of the ECHoS Project)
  • Paolo Casali (Online) Director of the Medical Oncology Unit 2, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori Milan (Coordinator of the JANE-2 Project)
show all speakers (9)