The European Cancer Concord (ECC) is a patient-centered initiative, borne out of the need to deliver an optimal standard of cancer care and research for Europe's citizens. Strengthening and upholding the rights of the individual cancer patient/cancer survivor are its guiding principles. ECC was formed 2 years ago under the stewardship of the Society for Translational Oncology (STO).

ECC involves patient advocacy and oncology leaders from 17 European countries, who have come together in a unique partnership to address the inequalities in cancer care and research and to help develop effective solutions for European citizens and societies. To date, over 20 European and pan-European cancer patient advocacy organizations have become active partners in ECC, representing over 1,000 national organizations and many millions of cancer patients and survivors in Europe.

As part of ECC's commitment to the European citizen, patient advocacy organizations, health care professionals and members of the European Parliament against Cancer alliance have come together to launch a unique initiative on World Cancer Day in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The European Cancer Patient's Bill of Rights is the result of two years of work and widespread engagement by the ECC, an equal partnership between European oncology leaders and patients and their representatives,  who have come together to address the significant disparities that exist for European cancer patients.

Launching the Bill of Rights at the European Parliament on World Cancer Day focuses attention on the unequal nature of cancer care in Europe, provides an opportunity to engage and influence our political representatives and most crucially empowers every European citizen to use the Bill of Rights as a catalyst to achieve effective change in cancer care delivery in his/her own country/region.

EUROPEAN CANCER CONCORD® and EUROPEAN CANCER PATIENT'S BILL OF RIGHTS® are registered trademarks of the Society for Translational Oncology, a non-profit, tax-exempt organization whose mission is to bridge the "translational gap" between discovery and delivery of care to the patient.