Taking stock of the EUnetCCC one year into the project

The Evaluation Work Package has published a report summarising the results of the first ten months of the EUnetCCC Joint Action. The report provides an overview of what was achieved during the initial phase of the project.

The four-year project EUnetCCC - European Network of Comprehensive Cancer Centres started its work in October 2024 and will be completed in September 2028.

By then, EUnetCCC should have reached its target of ensuring that at least 90 percent of eligible cancer patients across Europe will have access to high-quality, evidence-based medical care, regardless of their geographical location.

This will be done by having more cancer hospitals in Europe become certified Comprehensive Cancer Centres (CCCs), and the aim is that there will be at least 100 Comprehensive Cancer Centres across the 31 partner countries by the time the project is completed.

In addition, the project also aims to create a cohesive, integrated network of centres that are either certified CCCs or are in the process of preparing for certification.

The groundwork for these ambitious targets was laid in the first year of the project. In its “First Annual Evaluation Report” (WP3, Milestone 22), the Evaluation Work Package provides an in-depth overview of the main achievements of each of the Joint Action's nine work packages.

Main findings

Here are some of the main findings of the report, which covers the first ten months of EUnetCCC - from October 2024 and until the end of July 2025.

• WP1: Coordination
  • Established the project management framework - including governance documents, financial policies, and standardised procedures - and coordination mechanisms such as the project management team and the steering committee.
  • Held regular online comprehensive consortium meetings and numerous other meetings with the 163 partner institutions and nine work packages.
  • Established a comprehensive monitoring and collaboration system to track financial and operational progress across the joint action.
• WP2: Communication and Dissemination
  • Developed EUnetCCC's Communication and Dissemination Strategy.
  • Established a unified visual identity and coordinated the development of the project website.
  • Gained over 1,200 followers on social media in the first six months of the project.
• WP3: Evaluation
  • Developed and operationalised the project's evaluation strategy.
  • Co-created key performance indicators (KPIs) with all work packages.
  • Conducted the first process and output evaluations.
• WP4: Sustainability
  • Launched the first wave of pilots in 14 European countries, involving 36 cancer centres as sites piloting different Comprehensive Cancer Centres configurations and pioneering the initiated certification pathway.
  • Started work on co-designing EUnetCCC's Sustainability Strategy.
• WP5: Inclusion, Certification and Adherence to EUCCC Network
  • Developed the initial Comprehensive Cancer Centre certification framework, including admission criteria and evaluation guidelines.
  • Developed tender guidelines for selecting certification operators.
  • Launched a field testing of the certification process across nine European countries.
• WP6: Strengthening Capacities and Quality Improvement
  • Started updating the Maturity Model 2.0 tool, which will be key in assessing the candidate CCC level of organisational maturity.
  • Started developing guidelines for candidate CCCs, with tailored support for the healthcare systems of smaller European countries.
• WP7: Governance, Membership and Engagement
  • Drafted membership rules for the EU network of CCCs and started work on the Interim Policies and Procedures Manual.
  • Established the interim governance framework for the Joint Action, and laid the foundations for transparent, inclusive and sustainable governance.
• WP8: Development and Implementation of Network Activities
  • Launched thematic networks across eight strategic areas, engaging more than 80 institutions.
  • Developed a detailed Roadmap for Network Activities, outlining collaborative priorities and implementation plans.
• WP9: Support the Implementation of Comprehensive Cancer Care Networks
  • Advanced the development of tumour-specific standards and quality indicators.
  • Initiated the design of a patient pathway repository and governance framework.

You can read the report in full here.