The European Cancer Organisation (ECO) has launched a landmark policy paper, Next Level EU Cancer Survivorship and Quality-of-Life Policy.

It provides the first EU-wide mapping of initiatives, policies, and research focused on improving life with and beyond cancer, backed by contributions from over 40 experts representing more than 20 professional societies, countries, and patient groups.

Europe’s cancer burden has never been higher. Here are just some of the figures that illustrate the compelling need for health systems to evolve beyond physical treatment alone to address the many emotional challenges that stem from this disease.

• A cancer diagnosis leads to 85,000 cases of depression in the EU each year
• More than 4,000,000 Europeans require palliative care annually
• There are more than 20 million cancer survivors in Europe
• Up to 25% of those living beyond their cancer have difficulty accessing needed financial services and face discrimination

The evidence is overwhelming:  we need sustained policy action to improve ‘care’ in all its dimensions. Too many patients and survivors still experience fragmented support, financial discrimination, and inequitable access to essential services.

ECO urges EU institutions and member states to recognise the economic and social consequences of inaction, calling for sustained investment in the next EU budget (2028–2034). Quality of life is not a luxury outcome of cancer policy, but a critical measure of success.

Key findings and priorities:

• Persistent implementation gap:  Many EU survivorship initiatives launched under Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan are now stalled, and should be revived, e.g. Right to be Forgotten, Return to Work, the cancer survivor smartcard App.  
• Legal inequities: Half of EU member states still lack laws to protect cancer survivors from financial services discrimination years after treatment - ‘the Right to Be Forgotten’.
• Systemic barriers: Unequal access to rehabilitation, psycho-oncology, and palliative care continues to burden patients and survivors, creating preventable social and economic costs for societies.

The paper lays the groundwork for the European Cancer Survivorship & Quality-of-Life Charter (2026), a new framework for accountability and measurable progress across Europe. 

Prof. Csaba Dégi, president of the European Cancer Organisation, stated:

‘Europe has taken important steps in cancer policy, but real success will be measured by how well people live with and beyond cancer. Survivorship and quality of life must be recognised as shared European priorities—integrated, funded, and implemented across every health system.’

Billy Kelleher, MEP, member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, said:

‘This report contains a variety of case studies and scenarios that can guide elected representatives and decision-makers on how to better care for the 20 million people in Europe living beyond cancer – and provide them with the dignity we should all expect.’

Dr Françoise Meunier, founder of the Ending Discrimination Against Cancer Survivors Initiative, said:

‘Facing a diagnosis of cancer and undergoing treatment is an ordeal. Once declared cancer-free and without relapsing after five years, cancer survivors should not have to pay twice to access financial services. It is not a question of compassion, but a matter of justice and human rights.’

Source: European Cancer Organisation (ECO)