Launch of the European Parliament Intergroup on Cancer & Rare Diseases: A Forum for Collaboration
Brussels, Belgium - On March 4, the co-chairs of the European Parliament Intergroup (IG) on Cancer & Rare Diseases hosted the official launch of its 2025 Annual Workplan. This event marks a pivotal moment in shaping Europe’s discourse on health policy, as legislators, policymakers, and key stakeholders gathered to discuss the priorities of the IG identified for this year and beyond. The IG, led by key voices in health policy across the European Parliament groups, is a sign of the continued focus on cancer and rare diseases on the EU agenda.
The event, held in the European Parliament's members salon, brought together experts and leaders in the area of cancer and rare diseases from various sectors. The launch featured a brief overview of the group’s objectives from the Intergroup Co-Chairs, as well as introducing the organisations which form the secretariat: European Cancer Organisation (ECO), EURORDIS, and the European Society for Paediatric Oncology (SIOPE). The IG Annual Workplan for 2025 will drive forward policy initiatives to tackle Europe’s most pressing challenges in the field of cancer and rare diseases.
Key highlights of the event included:
The unveiling of the 2025 Annual Workplan and the dedicated website, outlining key priorities and initiatives in areas such as health funding in the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework, risk and prevention, and the General Pharmaceutical Legislation.
Presentations from Members of the European Parliament on priorities to address cancer and rare diseases for the upcoming year.
Interactive dialogues with stakeholders on how the workplan will be implemented in practice and how it will provide a platform to civil society across Europe to lend their voice to cancer and rare disease developments in the EU.
The Intergroup’s first workplan represents a strategic approach to ensure that Europe remains a leader on the global stage on the topics of cancer & rare disease, as well as health in general, while addressing the evolving needs of its diverse member states. The work of the Intergroup will serves as a roadmap, aiming to shape the European Parliament’s legislative agenda and guiding other institutions during this ongoing mandate.
About the Intergroup on Cancer & Rare Diseases:
The Intergroup on Cancer and Rare Diseases is established for the European Parliament term 2024-2029 to ensure that the unmet needs of the concerned populations are addressed. In order to achieve its objectives, the Intergroup will organise and promote a variety of initiatives on key topics that are in line with its policy priorities and will advance the dialogue on the needs of people living with cancer and rare diseases.
The Intergroup will build on the European Parliament’s political action and commitment, as well as broader EU initiatives like Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, the EU Joint Action on Rare Cancers and the EU Joint Action on Rare Diseases. These efforts have prioritised cancer and rare diseases in the health agenda, highlighting the specific needs of those affected by cancer and rare diseases.
A continued focus on the cancer and rare disease agenda of the EU, which takes into the consideration the specificities of all population groups, including rare adult and paediatric cancers, will be fostered through the activities of the Intergroup.
