The main aim of the Congress is to bring the issue of existing cancer management inequalities in the countries of Eastern and Central Europe into the spotlight as well as to discuss it with patient organizations and NGO’s, health care professionals, politicians, and members of the European Parliament.

By the end of the Congress patient organizations from Eastern and Central Europe will sign the Open letter, that afterwards will be passed to the European Parliament, the European Commission, EU national governments, decision makers, healthcare institutions and mass media.

The objectives of the Congress:

1. Contribute to the implementation of the provisions of the EP Resolution (recently – draft) “On strengthening Europe in the fight against cancer – towards a comprehensive and coordinated strategy” (2020/2267(INI)) and European Commission Cancer Mission Recommendations, the European Beating Cancer Plan’s principles of justice, sustainability, equity, solidarity, innovation and collaboration in the National Oncology Guidelines (National Cancer Control Programmes, NCCP) for Eastern and Central Europe countries.
2. Promote access for oncology patients in Eastern and Central Europe throughout the course of the disease – prevention, detection, treatment, palliative care and reintegration – to the same modern, innovative healthcare provided by EU welfare states:
   1. equal access to medication, including personalized (aka precision) therapy (both the amount of reimbursable oncological drugs (molecules) and total reimbursement budget for oncological medications);
   2. equality in access to diagnostics, treatment and cutting-edge treatment technologies, encouraging the introduction of uniform guidelines throughout the entire EU`s oncology patients care;
   3. the establishment of pan-European quality standards for administering and supervising medical treatments for cancer, and the facilitation of patients’ access to cancer specialists in order to benefit from innovations and access to clinical trials;
   4. creation of national cancer treatment centres and their accreditation;
   5. coordinated and supported training and internship of national oncology specialists (surgeons, chemotherapists, radiation therapists and radiologists etc.) at EU level, as well as opportunities to exchange data and experience, international cooperation second opinion possibilities among specialists;
   6. supported opportunities for national oncology patients of remote consultations of region’s leading specialists, in leading oncology care centres.
3. Promote the establishment of a register of existing cancer management inequalities at European level (in line with the European Beating Cancer Plan) to identify trends, disparities injustice and inequalities between Member States and European regions and to guide needed investments and interventions at EU, national and regional levels.
4. Initiate discussions on the federalization of the oncology patients’ care – introduction of the uniform policy in EU countries.
5. To provide opportunities for patient organizations of the Eastern and Central Europe to share the best practice of patient rights’ advocacy projects, of building decision-making capacity and growing impact on lessening the burden of the cancer.