Strengthening Europe’s cancer network through shared standards of quality and governance - EUnetCCC.eu
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Financial Contribution:
112 million €
90 million € provided by the European Commission
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Duration:
2024 - 2028
Abstract
EUnetCCC: the first European Network of Comprehensive Cancer Centres
The European Network of Comprehensive Cancer Centres (EUnetCCC) is a Joint Action co-funded by the European Union under the EU4Health programme, coordinated by the Institut National du Cancer (INCa, France).
EUnetCCC is one of the Flagship Initiatives of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, contributing concretely to building a fairer and more integrated European Health Union. Its goal is to establish a European network of Comprehensive Cancer Centres (CCC) that integrate care, research, training, and innovation—ensuring that every EU citizen can benefit from the same quality standards and treatment opportunities.
The network involves 163 partners across 31 countries and aims to reduce inequalities in access to care, harmonise accreditation criteria for cancer centres, and accelerate the dissemination of scientific and clinical innovation.
The project is structured into nine Work Packages (WP) — three organisational (WP1 Coordination, WP2 Communication, WP3 Evaluation) and six operational (WP4 Sustainability, WP5 Certification, WP6 Capacity Building, WP7 Network Governance, WP8 Network Activities, WP9 Comprehensive Cancer Care Network).
The role of Alleanza Contro il Cancro
Alleanza Contro il Cancro (ACC) — Italy’s national oncology research network under the Ministry of Health — represents Italy within the Joint Action as the Competent Authority.
ACC coordinates Work Package 7, dedicated to defining the governance structure and membership rules of the European network, as well as to establishing the CCC Network Secretariat.
It is also Task Leader (Task 5.3) in Work Package 5, focused on developing the European certification process for CCCs, and contributes to the activities of WP2 (Communication), WP4 (Sustainability), WP6 (Capacity Building), and WP8 (Network Activities).
With over twenty years of experience connecting Italy’s IRCCS cancer institutes, ACC brings to Europe a consolidated clinical-scientific network model that combines excellence, innovation, and quality.
The Team
The ACC working group is led by Dr Paolo De Paoli, Director General of Alleanza Contro il Cancro.
Scientific and organisational area: Giandomenico Russo, Silvia Careccia, Claudia D’Agostini, Diego Serraino, Francesca Sampogna, Ivan Molineris, Marco Masera, Aikaterini Galanopoulou, Elena Preziosa
Administrative area: Federica Campisi, Camilla Terenzi, Lavinia Capriccioli
Secretariat: Maria Lucia Andria, Davide Bomboi, Michele Ruta
Communication: Giacomo Borgatti, Massimo Boni
ACC has also launched a dedicated LinkedIn page – ACC@EUnetCCC – to share updates, initiatives, and results from the network.
Project coordinator
Dr. Paolo De Paoli
Director General of Alleanza Contro il Cancro
Participating Italian Institutes
Italian Institutes Requesting Participation Starting in 2026
Thanks to this contribution, Italy plays a central role in shaping the architecture of EUnetCCC, providing strategic expertise in the development of a European system of quality and cooperation that unites excellence, equity, and innovation.
