Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-05-05-Speech-3-600"
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"en.20100505.79.3-600"2
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".
Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, with this report we are taking a stance on one of the most difficult problems of the European Union. The epidemic spread of cancer is making it the number one disease in the Union and one in three citizens of the Union will encounter it.
I am pleased that, at the beginning of this term of office, it is not necessary to call on the Commission and the Council to take basic steps in order to combat cancer because we have the Council’s clear conclusions of June 2008 and an ambitious project, the European Partnership for Action against Cancer, which the Commission presented in September 2009 and which forms the subject of this report. It is important to note that action is already underway. With this report we are supporting one of the most ambitious goals of the Commission, that we reduce the burden of cancer by 15% over a period of ten years.
I am also pleased that the partnership was developed in accordance with our health strategy resolution ‘Together for Health: A Strategic Approach for the EU 2008-2013’. In that resolution, we upheld the importance of health for all and of health in all policies and placed major emphasis on cancer prevention.
It is an astonishing and worrying fact that, on average, Member States invest a mere 3% of their health budgets in cancer prevention. While it might appear to be a statistical error, this figure means that the health policies of Member States do not take prevention very seriously. What we really need is a paradigm shift towards more prevention in our strategic, technical, organisational and financial approaches. We know this and also we know, and it has been proven, that early detection of cancer can significantly reduce cancer mortality.
The second key word in the report is inequality, and several types of inequality at that. The most significant type is known as ‘the Iron Curtain between the East and the West’ in terms of major differences between the survival prospects of cancer patients, but we are also aware of significant differences within Member States themselves. Besides the differences in the success rates of treatments, we also have significant differences in the frequency, or scope, of early cancer detection, differences in palliative care and differences in the effectiveness of rehabilitation of cancer patients.
The Citizens of the European Union find it difficult to accept that there are such differences in the level of organisation of the fight against cancer given that some Member States have national programmes, while others do not. Differences exist in the acquisition of cancer data, too. Although even the Treaty of Lisbon only allows the European Union to take support measures, a coordinated and well-organised approach at this level is extremely important if we are to combat cancer effectively. The exchange of good practice would be unimaginable without encouragement from Community institutions.
The third key word in the report is partnership. We will be able to get closer to the Commission’s ambitious goal only if we join forces both vertically and horizontally. The prerequisite for that is ensuring that the fight against cancer remains firmly on the political agenda of European and national institutions. A close relationship between doctor and patient is not enough. It is our task to contribute to a strong political partnership, to a political will, which will provide impetus for a faster momentum throughout the European Union.
On this occasion, I would like to place particular emphasis on the issue of rehabilitation of cancer patients. We ought to pay a great deal more attention to people who have beaten cancer. They must not be stigmatised or written-off, but given the opportunity to reintegrate fully into social life and to continue their professional careers. A key element in the fight against cancer in Europe today is proximity to the citizens.
I would just like to thank the shadow rapporteurs who have helped in the drafting of this report for their considerable assistance."@en1
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