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The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) and the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients' Associations (EFA), the two organisations coordinating the Secretariat of the European Parliament Interest Group on Allergy and Asthma, warmly welcome the European Commission's Beating Cancer Plan presented in February 2020. Coupled with the Horizon Europe EU Mission for cancer research, the initiatives provide a well-developed framework to address the challenges posed by cancer in the EU.

As one of the leading causes of mortality globally and the second cause of premature death from non-communicable diseases (representing 26% of the total number of deaths in the EU in 2016), cancer is undoubtedly one of the biggest health challenges of our times, next to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

We applaud the ambitious scope of the Beating Cancer Plan, encompassing prevention, access to care and better quality of life; while supporting a health-in-all-policies approach with an emphasis on tackling the environmental determinants of cancer. Actions under this framework have the potential to add value to other non-communicable disease areas such as allergy and asthma , which also impose a massive burden on Europeans' lives and pockets.

Indeed, allergy and asthma are two of the most common chronic diseases in Europe, currently affecting more than 150 million citizens across the region. Healthy environments play a crucial role in the prevention and control of these diseases, which are predicted to affect half of all Europeans by 2025.

Our statement lays out the multiple correlations existing between cancer, on the one hand, and allergy and asthma on the other . Shared risk factors include air pollution, tobacco smoking and exposure to dangerous chemicals, which may impact the severity or incidence of allergy and asthma symptoms. Furthermore, it discusses the need for improved access to healthcare, including timely diagnosis, in a wide range of non-communicable diseases in addition to cancer. Also highlighted are the benefits of patients' and healthcare professionals' participation in health decision-making processes, including research and evidence-based policies.

The statement is underpinned by the hope that the focus of Europe's Beating Cancer Plan on the guiding principles of prevention, access, and participation , will set a useful precedent for addressing other burdensome non-communicable diseases, including allergy and asthma.