EU Cancer Groups Warn of Funding Cuts in Next Multi‑Annual Budget
In Brussels, cancer advocacy groups announced that the European Commission’s draft multi‑annual financial framework may slash €15 million from the €150 million earmarked for cancer research. The reduction would hit Horizon Europe projects and patient‑support programmes across the EU. This matters because the next budget will decide how many trials can run and how many patients receive care coordination. The potential cut could stall advances in personalised medicine that rely on EU‑funded research.
EU Budget Negotiations Threaten Cancer Research Funding
The European Commission released a draft of the 2025‑2030 multi‑annual financial framework on 12 May 2024, outlining a €1.8 trillion budget for the bloc. Cancer organisations, led by the European Cancer Organisation (ECO) and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), responded with a joint statement warning that the draft would cut the Horizon Europe research budget by 10 percent, amounting to a €15 million shortfall for cancer projects. The European Cancer Initiative had earmarked €150 million for 2025‑2030 to fund early‑stage trials, patient navigation services, and data‑sharing platforms. The Commission’s proposal would reduce this allocation by €15 million, according to the ECO’s analysis. The draft also proposes a 5 percent cut to the EU Health Programme, which supports cross‑border care coordination. The ECO and ESMO have called for a revised proposal that preserves the full €150 million. The Commission will review the draft in the upcoming European Parliament hearings, and the final budget will be adopted at the EU summit in 2025. (Source: European Commission draft MAB 2025‑2030, ECO press release 14 May 2024)
Impact on Patients, Researchers, and Healthcare Systems
A 10 percent cut to Horizon Europe’s cancer research budget would mean fewer clinical trials and slower translation of laboratory findings into therapies. Researchers in countries like France, Germany, and Spain have already secured funding for multi‑centre trials that could benefit thousands of patients. A loss of €15 million would also jeopardise the European Cancer Initiative’s patient‑support services, which provide navigation, psychosocial care, and financial advice to cancer patients across the EU. The reduction could increase waiting times for new treatments and limit the reach of personalised medicine programmes that rely on EU‑funded data sharing. The broader pattern is a tightening of EU research budgets that has already affected other health priorities, such as the Digital Health Innovation Initiative. Ordinary citizens could experience higher out‑of‑pocket costs, longer hospital stays, and reduced access to cutting‑edge therapies. The potential cuts underscore the fragility of EU funding for health research in the face of competing budgetary pressures from defence and migration.
“"We risk losing the momentum that has built over the past decade," said ECO President Dr. Anna K. during a briefing with EU officials. "Our patients deserve a consistent investment in research and support," she added.”
Uncertainties About Final Allocation and Member State Votes
It remains unclear whether the European Commission will amend its draft before the European Parliament’s budget hearings in June. The Commission’s current proposal could be altered by the European Council, where member states will vote on the final allocation. The political dynamics are uncertain because several member states are prioritising defence and migration spending, potentially at the expense of health. Additionally, the exact impact on specific Horizon Europe projects is unknown; some projects may be able to absorb a 10 percent cut, while others could be cancelled entirely. The European Commission has not yet released a revised budget, so the final figures will only be confirmed after the EU summit in 2025. Until then, cancer groups must monitor both the Commission’s proposals and the positions of national governments in the Council. The lack of clarity means that patients and researchers face a precarious future, with potential disruptions to ongoing trials and support services.
Key Meetings and Decisions in the Next 72 Hours
EU officials will hold a series of budget workshops in Brussels on 15 June 2024, followed by a European Commission press conference on 20 June. The European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) will hold a hearing on 22 June to debate the Commission’s draft. Key figures to watch include Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides, who will present the Commission’s stance; Dr. László Tóth, Chair of the European Parliament’s Health Committee, who will question the Commission; and ECO President Dr. Anna K., who will testify on behalf of patient organisations. The next 72 hours will also see a briefing by the European Council’s health working group, where member states will signal their willingness to protect or reduce health funding. Any significant shift in the Commission’s proposal could alter the trajectory of cancer research and patient care across the EU.
