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By definition, funding of the now established European strategy in paediatric haematology-
oncology will come necessarily from several sources: the European Commission, national
funding bodies, charities and foundations, industry as well as anyone willing to invest in
paediatric oncology research and development.
European funding is available for research projects through Horizon 2020 calls. Projects in
paediatric haematology oncology will be submitted to relevant European calls by SIOPE,
groups and institutions as part of the implementation of the SIOPE Strategic Plan and referred
as such in their application.
The critical hurdle encountered in paediatric haematology-oncology, as well as in other
research areas, is the lack of funding for structures that are needed to run a coordinated and
integrated research agenda. To this extent, in 2011 the European Commission provided €12m
to structure oncology research into children and adolescents. One of the best examples of the
goals achieved is the long-term sustainable Strategic Plan described in this document. ENCCA
illustrates how funding for a permanent structure is essential to achieve progress and deliver
success.
ENCCAwill finish on December 2015 and the decisionwas taken that SIOPE will run the on-going
agenda. The key question is how to fund the projects, the programmes and the structures that
are needed to implement the long-term sustainable strategy.
At the end of the SIOPE-ENCCA event, which shared the European Strategic Plan with
all stakeholders in Brussels in September 2014, the participants proposed to develop a
European Cancer Plan for Children and Adolescents
. This plan would show the commitment
of the EU and its Member States to address childhood and adolescent cancers as a priority and
a strategic objective for the European Union. Specific European initiatives would be set up to
join efforts from the EU and its Member States for funding. In addition, it would allow other
co-funding bodies to contribute to a pan-European initiative.
Funding strategy
THE SIOPE STRATEGIC PLAN
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