One in two Europeans will face cancer in their lifetime, with an expected increase in cases due to an ageing population. Cancer’s impact extends beyond health, costing EU countries over €100 billion annually. The EU has been combating cancer for decades and launched Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan in 2021, targeting prevention, treatment, and care by 2030. The European Court of Auditors (ECA) is currently evaluating the plan’s progress.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the EU, responsible for one in four deaths. Risk varies within countries; central and eastern European nations like Croatia and Hungary have higher death rates compared to western and Nordic countries such as Spain and Sweden. Within a country, mortality rates differ by region, gender—men face almost 70% higher mortality—and education level—less educated men are 2.6 times more likely to die from lung cancer.
These disparities are linked to risk factors like smoking and obesity and access to healthcare resources. Some regions have equipment but lack staff; others have doctors but inadequate facilities.
Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan addresses these issues with a €4 billion budget, potentially supplemented by cohesion policy funds and the Recovery and Resilience Facility. By 2030, it aims to:
1. Maximize new technologies;
2. Save lives through prevention;
3. Improve early detection;
4. Ensure high standards of care;
5. Enhance quality of life for patients;
6. Reduce inequalities across the EU;
7. Focus on childhood cancer.
The audit seeks to determine the plan’s effectiveness against cancer, with findings expected in early 2026.