| Please Support MAC to become an Intergroup (2009) |
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After completion of the elections 2009, the European Parliament will make decisions regarding the formation of Intergroups. Intergroups are informal all-party groups of MEPs, focusing on a particular issue such as cancer. The co-chairs of MAC are considering transforming MAC into an Intergroup – and they need support of all MEPs to do this! With your support in the transformation of MAC into an Intergroup, this can give all MEPs from all political parties a coherent platform. What are Intergroups?Intergroups are informal groups formed by MEPs across parties. Intergroups enable MEPs to form cross-party coalitions on specific issues of interest, which can foster wider political friendships and consensus building within the European Parliament. This is important as Intergroups can bring MEPs together who wish to focus on specific issues such as cancer, but may not be from the same political family. So far, "MEPs Against Cancer" (MAC), an informal group of 70 MEPs (pre-election) which regularly met to discuss issues and develop actions around improving prevention, screening, treatment and care of cancer, has not had the status of an Intergroup. The European Cancer Patient Coalition (ECPC) provided the secretariat for MEPs Against Cancer (MAC). Rationale for MAC to become an IntergroupIn the European Parliament, Health related matters fall within the competence of different Committees such as the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection. Additionally, issues relating to health may fall within other Committee and other official forums of the European Parliament. As a result, it can be very difficult to keep all MEPs focus on a complex issue like cancer which relates to so many policy fields. It is for this reason that it is necessary to have an Intergroup focusing on Cancer. The confirmation by the European Parliament that MAC will be an Intergroup would be the right statement issued at the right time. As we all know, one in three Europeans will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. With hardly any family spared from cancer, it is vital that the battle against cancer is a political priority at a European level and again a priority for the European Parliament. This decision will be taking place very soon. Due to limits on the number of signatures available to the political parties represented in the Parliament, the maximum number of official Intergroups is 26. Therefore, the signatures of all MEPs who can support this are essential. Therefore we need your support! Purpose of the future MAC as an IntergroupIf MAC became an Intergroup, we would aim to further strengthen MAC as forum where MEPs will have the opportunity to regularly meet with public health experts, different officials within the EU and cancer patients. It will organise discussions on different issues that touch upon the agenda of several Committees and therefore MAC can maximize its impact. Your support as a MEP is neededThe co-chairs of the MAC group, Liz Lynne MEP and Alojz Peterle MEP, strive to transform MAC into an Intergroup. Both co-chairs, as well as ECPC, have recently sent around emails and letters to all 737 MEPs, informing them about the decision to make MAC into an Interest Group. The decision to confer the status of Intergroup on MAC would provide a strong voice within the European Parliament that cancer is a major burden of European citizens, and should continue to be high on the political agenda. Support is essential in MAC becoming an Intergroup. We need your joint support to tackle cancer at the European level and MAC as Intergroup can facilitate this with your support. This will show the citizens that cancer, which affects almost every family, is a key issue at the local, regional, national and European level. If you are an MEP that wants to support MAC becoming an even stronger initative in the fight against cancer, please write an email to the two MAC co-chairs:
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