Written Declaration On The Need For A Comprehensive Strategy To Control Cancer Has Been Adopted, September 2007

Background

This Written Declaration is sponsored by five Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and is an important achievement as over half (419) of the Members of the EP have signed it.

The five sponsors are:

• Prof Antonios Trakatellis MEP (Greek/Christian Democrat)
• Francoise Grosset�te (French/Christian Democrat)
• Karin Jons (German/Socialist)
• Philippe Busquin (Belgian/Socialist)
• Adamos Adamou (Greek/European United Left - Nordic Green Left)

The Declaration Calls on Council and Commission to formulate a comprehensive strategy addressing the four basic cancer control factors: prevention; early detection; diagnosis, treatment and follow-up; palliative care

Next Steps

The Declaration is adopted and has been communicated to the European Commission and the Council (comprised of 27 Member States). The institutions will have three months to respond to the Declaration. The Commission is likely to issue a statement in the next 3 months. The Council is not obliged to respond but it is highly probable that Health Ministers will collectively make a statement on cancer as the disease area is a major priority of the Slovenian Presidency of the EU taking place first half of 2008. Moreover, the issue of cancer will also be on the agenda of the Health Council taking place in early December 2007 under the Portuguese Presidency of the EU.