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Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and the European Parliament’s Resolution to beat cancer have bolstered the EU’s fight against the disease. However, many challenges in cancer prevention, treatment and care persist to this day. With the new legislative term now in full swing, the European Parliament must ensure this fight remains a top political priority. 

Guest article by Toma Mikalauskaitė, Policy Lead, the Association of European Cancer Leagues  

A new case of cancer is diagnosed every nine seconds in the European Union (EU). Its burden is increasing across the continent, with 2.7 million people newly diagnosed with the disease in 2022 alone. Cancer claimed the lives of an estimated 1.3 million individuals that same year.   

Three years after the launch of the European Cancer Plan, many ambitious steps have been taken to reduce the burden of disease across Europe. But numerous commitments to tackle key risk factors – including tobacco, harmful alcohol use, unhealthy diets, and exposure to health-harming chemicals – have not yet been fulfilled.   

There’s no time to lose in intensifying the fight against the second leading cause of death in Europe. A recent report from the OECD estimates that cancer costs around 449 billion euros per year in countries studied, underlining the urgent need to reduce the far-reaching consequences of the disease on health systems, the economy and society through more rigorous policy action.  

The European Parliament has a pivotal role to play in this fight. The institution’s legacy of leadership is clear: the Parliament’s 2022 resolution calling for a more effective EU strategy to beat cancer set Europe on a clear course towards better prevention and care. The timely implementation of the remaining initiatives under the European Cancer Plan – such as the revision of tobacco legislation, the introduction of food and alcohol labelling, and action to reduce exposure to harmful PFAS chemicals – is crucial, and members of the EU Parliament must ensure they remain on top of the political agenda during this mandate.  

Several Members of the European Parliament have already united against cancer by joining the MEPs Against Cancer Interest Group. European cancer leagues call on all MEPs to join this initiative to support EU-wide efforts to stop cancer before it starts and ensure that those touched by it have access to the best care available.  

The MEPs Against Cancer Interest Group was founded in 2005 and remains the oldest and largest group dedicated to cancer policy in the European Parliament. The group, the secretariat of which is hosted by the Association of European Cancer Leagues, plays a vital role in ensuring the fight against cancer remains high on the political agenda.