EUROPA DONNA-The European Breast Cancer Coalition

EU Legislative Interests

In 2015, the Written Declaration on the Fight Against Breast Cancer in the EU (0017/2015) was passed. The Declaration calls for Member States to implement nationwide breast screening and provide multidisciplinary Specialist Breast Units (SBUs), in accordance with the EU Guidelines. Regarding MBC, the declaration states that those with Metastatic Breast Cancer should have access to, and be treated in, an SBU, and their on-going needs for care and psychosocial services should be coordinated and supported by the SBU as per the EU Guidelines. We continue to maintain and develop our website where all material concerning breast cancer resolutions including the 2015 Written Declaration on the Fight Against Breast Cancer in the EU can be viewed. Europa Donna also takes part in the Transforming Breast Cancer Together Initiative, which was established when influential policy makers and organizations strongly committed to breast cancer began to collaborate in 2017. In 2025, ED continues to play an active role in TCBT. We will continue to work with various MEP committees and groups in the coming year to raise awareness of breast cancer issues. We will also push ahead with projects concerning inequalities in access to breast cancer care among and across European countries and returning to work after a diagnosis of EBC and MBC. Furthermore, ED engages directly with MEPs and parliament groups such as Beating Cancer (BECA) and European People’s Party (EPP): ED representatives are regularly invited to speak at awareness sessions and informative hearings at the EU Parliament. This type of activity enables us to engage EU policy makers and provide them with information on various topics concerning breast cancer. ED provides feedback and requested amendments to the BECA final report in cooperation with TBCT and WECAN initiatives.

Communication Activities

The ED Head Office carries out programmes in three main areas: education, information and advocacy. Our 47 European member countries are targeted with the following: EDUCATION Programme: To most effectively fight breast cancer, ED seeks to encourage open communication and knowledge-sharing. To this end, we develop educational projects and organise conferences. ADVOCACY TRAINING COURSE—this annual, intensive 2.5 day course on scientific aspects, EU Guidelines, Specialist Breast Units, mammography screening, communication skills training, capacity building, brings New Advocates together to learn best practice; EUROPEAN BREAST CANCER CONFERENCE (EBCC)—at this biennial conference (co-organized by ED & EORTC), 2,000 participants learn about the latest scientific advances on all breast cancer topics; ED PAN-EUROPEAN CONFERENCE this 2-day biennial conference responds exclusively to the needs of breast cancer advocates; ADVOCACY LEADER CONFERENCE—Leaders of ED’s National Fora meet for updates on advocacy topics and managing a national non-profit (held when needed); the MBC ADVOCACY CONFERENCES/WEBINARS--For advocates with MBC and advocates who run MBC programmes. INFORMATION Programme: ED ensures that women have access to accurate, up-to-date information on breast cancer issues via its WEBSITE (www.europadonna.org), SOCIAL MEDIA and PUBLICATIONS e.g. e-Newsletter and conference proceedings documents. We publish INFORMATION BOOKLETS on areas such as Understanding Breast Cancer Research and POLICY STATEMENTS on subjects such as genomics; we also issue conference proceedings. New ED member organisations are sent our MEMBERSHIP TOOLKIT. We SURVEY our members on breast cancer topics on an ad-hoc basis; results are reported in ED publications/at events. A major recent ED advocacy initiative was the publication of the EUROPA DONNA ADVOCATES GUIDE TO THE ECIBC, the European Commission Initiative on Breast Cancer; it was designed as an interactive training tool for advocates in order to prepare them to advocate for quality breast care now and in the future. ADVOCACY Programme: ED represents the interests of European women to EU institutions, bringing breast cancer issues and women’s/patients’ concerns to the attention of MEPs and European Commission both directly and via expert meetings, conferences, Infodays etc. ED provides on-going input into new health strategy initiatives to ensure that breast cancer issues will be addressed and also positions itself to respond to drafts of legislation. ED’s Board and Executive Director attend many events each year as expert patient advocates.

Interests Represented

Does not represent commercial interests

Member Of

European Patients' Forum Affiliate member, Cancer Prevention Europe ABC Global Alliance (organisational position on board of directors in 2025 and 2026) UICC

Organisation Members

ED Albania, ED Armenia, ED Austria, ED Belarus, ED Belgium, ED Bulgaria, ED Croatia, ED Cyprus, ED Czech Republic, ED Denmark, ED Estonia, ED Finland, ED France, ED Georgia, ED Germany, ED Greece, ED Hungry, ED Iceland, ED Ireland, ED Israel, ED Italy, ED Kazakhstan, ED Kyrgyzstan, ED Latvia, ED Lithuania, ED Luxembourg, ED Malta, ED Moldova, ED Monaco, ED Netherlands, ED North Macedonia ED Norway, ED Poland, ED Portugal, ED Romania, ED Russia, ED Serbia, ED Slovakia, ED Slovenia, ED Spain, ED Sweden, ED Switzerland, ED Tajikistan, ED Turkey, ED UK, ED Ukraine, ED Uzbekistan

Additional Information

Europa Donna's audited financial statements are available on the institutional website at: https://www.europadonna.org/about-us/financial-statements/