The European Parliament has called for continued European Union action to fight cancer, emphasizing the need for sustained funding and coordinated efforts. On Thursday, Parliament adopted a resolution with 427 votes in favor, 15 against, and 93 abstentions to mark World Cancer Day on February 4.
The resolution highlights several key areas. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are asking for a dedicated EU health program within the next long-term budget cycle from 2028 to 2034. They want both the Commission and member states to recognize health and oncology care as important social investment objectives, achievable through national and regional partnership plans. This includes support for long-term infrastructure such as vaccination and screening programs, workforce development, and strong oncology data systems.
Parliament is also seeking improvements in access to cancer medicines and innovative therapies across Europe. The resolution urges the Commission, together with member states, to facilitate voluntary joint procurement of treatments, promote price transparency, and enable faster market entry for life-saving cancer drugs. MEPs further call for easier cross-border access to specialized care and clinical trials—especially important for rare or complex cancers.
Another priority is protecting cancer survivors from financial discrimination. According to the resolution: “The EU and member states must do more to protect cancer survivors across Europe from financial discrimination, including by applying the ‘right to be forgotten’.” The text also calls for a harmonized framework that guarantees survivors access to financial services such as mortgages, loans, and insurance.
Cancer remains a major health challenge in Europe. In 2024 alone, approximately 2.7 million people were diagnosed with cancer in the EU while about 1.27 million died from it. It is currently the second leading cause of death after cardiovascular diseases.
Parliament’s Public Health Committee is preparing an implementation report that will assess progress on existing EU initiatives aimed at tackling cancer.
