ECO Marks World Cancer Day 2025
Cancer is one of the greatest challenges of our time, with more than 2.7 million Europeans diagnosed every year. However, thanks to Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, the cancer community is now more energised than ever before. Together, we are driving innovative approaches that are improving prevention and care. This World Cancer Day presents a prime opportunity to reflect on this progress and build on these achievements.
‘There is no doubt that Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan is improving the lives of those affected by cancer,’ said Prof. Csaba Dégi, president of the European Cancer Organisation (ECO). ‘While we celebrate our successes, we must also recognise that there is much more to do. We must ensure that cancer remains high on the political agenda over the next five years. To save many more lives, we need to complete, refresh, and expand the Plan.’
To that end, the European Cancer Organisation has been leading a range of initiatives.
A FLAVOUR OF WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED
In less than four years, Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan has positioned Europe at the forefront of progressive cancer legislation and policy. Key achievements include:
World-leading cancer prevention legislation
Legislation has been enacted to improve air quality, introducing ambitious legal limits on carcinogenic air pollution. Other milestones include the recent Update of the Council Recommendation on smoke-and aerosol-free environments and new laws protecting European workers from exposure to a range of carcinogens, including asbestos, acrylonitrile, nickel compounds, and benzene.
The EU leading the world on HPV cancer elimination
The EU is now leading global efforts to meet WHO’s goals on cervical cancer elimination. Driven by Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, all EU member states have politically committed to gender-neutral HPV vaccination to prevent cervical cancer and at least five other cancers caused by this ubiquitous virus. A recent conference held in Sofia, Bulgaria, opened the path for more than 10 countries in the South East Europe region to share best practices, with the sign a joint statement for concrete action.
Pushing forward the presence and quality of cancer screening
The Plan has expanded cancer screening policies across Europe, extending detection strategies to include lung, prostate, and gastric cancers. A growing bank of EU guidelines is building impetus for high-quality screening now and in the future.
Advancing the Right to Be Forgotten
The vast majority of EU countries have now enshrined the ‘right to be forgotten’ into law, protecting cancer survivors from financial discrimination long after their treatment.
EU SUPPORT FOR CROSS-BORDER CANCER COOPERATION
A large number of EU-sponsored initiatives are supporting countries to work together to meet common challenges of providing high-quality cancer care and control. You can find out more about EU-funded initiatives here. Here are just a few of the projects that ECO has been coordinating or supporting:
INTERACT-EUROPE 100: An Inter-specialty Cancer Training Programme (ISCTP) curriculum across more than 100 cancer centres in Europe. It enables oncology professionals from different specialities to train together, enabling greater teamwork for better patient care.
SOLACE, TOGAS, and PRAISE-U: These three new screening programmes are now providing thousands of Europeans with access to life-saving early detection for lung, gastric, and prostate cancers.
PROTECT-EUROPE: A recent project supporting member states in expanding screening and vaccination efforts against the human papillomavirus (HPV) and the six types of cancer it causes. The initiative provided public health authorities, medical professionals, and the general public with the latest evidence-based communication strategies to engage young people – the primary target for this prevention effort.
smartCARE: A pioneering project currently developing a digital smart card – a mobile app designed by and for cancer patients and survivors to help them navigate various daily challenges with practical information and concrete solutions.
TIME TO ACCELERATE: TOGETHER AGAINST CANCER
Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan has established a strong foundation for cross-party and cross-national collaboration to improve cancer care. Ahead of last year’s EU elections, the European Cancer Organisation brought its ‘Time to Accelerate’ campaign to 10 countries, ensuring that cancer remained a top political priority for the EU. Through extensive national and international media coverage, ECO raised public awareness and facilitated discussions between key decision-makers and experts on the most pressing challenges in cancer care.
Using the latest data from the European Cancer Pulse, ECO produced country-specific reports highlighting achievements and challenges in each, from workforce shortages to tobacco consumption, screening accessibility, and much more. These clear, data-driven insights prompted decision-makers in each country to endorse ECO’s ‘Time to Accelerate Manifesto’, pledging to support the completion and expansion of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan.
INTERGROUP ON CANCER AND RARE DISEASES
Political cooperation is central to Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, and more than 70 MEPs have now formed an Intergroup on Cancer and Rare Diseases, supported in its work by three organisations: ECO, EURORDIS, and SIOP Europe. As European institutions set priorities for the next term, including negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework, political collaboration will be crucial. The intergroup will play a key role in ensuring that cancer care remains a priority over the next five years.
Fittingly, the first constitutive meeting of the Intergroup on Cancer will take place on 3 February, just hours before World Cancer Day.
As ECO’s newly appointed CEO, Elisabetta Zanon, stated: ‘The European Cancer Organisation has been at the forefront of implementing Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan through its many ambitious initiatives and projects. As I take on the role of CEO, I reaffirm ECO’s commitment to demonstrating the role of cross-border cooperation on cancer care to save and improve lives.’
