The European Chronic Disease Alliance is an unprecedented initiative where 10 not-for-profit, science-based European organisations, representing over 100,000 health professionals joined forces in 2009 to reverse the rise in chronic non-communicable diseases.

The Alliance is lobbying for immediate political action at the European level, as chronic non-communicable diseases affect more than one-third of the population of Europe – over 100 million citizens - and account for 86% of deaths in the WHO European Region.

The evidence overwhelmingly advocates the need to address the four major lifestyle risk factors underlying all chronic diseases, which are tobacco, poor nutrition, lack of physical activity and excessive consumption of alcohol.

In June 2010, the European Chronic Disease Alliance presented a public policy paper on the prevention of chronic diseases to EU Commissioner, Mr. John Dalli, responsible for EU Health and Consumer Policy.

The policy paper was discussed on 5 October 2010 with Members of the European Parliament representing the MEPs Against Cancer, MEP Heart Group, MEP Group for Kidney Health, and the EU Diabetes Working Group. A Chronic Disease MEP Group Statement from this meeting was presented on 20 October 2010 at the Belgian EU Presidency Ministerial Council Meeting on the theme of ‘Innovative approaches for chronic illnesses in public health and healthcare systems’. The Belgian EU Presidency Meeting conclusions were forwarded on to the Council of the European Union meeting on Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs.

In October 2010, the European Chronic Disease Alliance won the prestigious 2010 European Health Award during the Gastein Health Forum, underlying the high value attributed to this important public health initiative.

At the 35th ESMO Congress in Milan, in October 2010, ESMO hosted a Chronic Disease Alliance Special Symposium with the presidents of the European Society of Cardiology, the European Society of Diabetes, and the European Respiratory Society.

In November 2010 the European Chronic Disease Alliance sent a letter to all European UN Ambassadors urging them to support the 2011 UN Summit on Non-Communicable Diseases, and requesting that the UN Summit result in an ‘Outcome Statement’ composed of a clear set of actions and a robust reporting mechanism to assure implementation.

In December 2010 the European Council for Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs issued a press release on the Council Conclusions, which took into account the recommendations from the Belgian EU Ministerial Meeting on 20 October 2010, where the European Chronic Disease Alliance was represented.

In February 2011, an ESMO editorial in Annals of Oncology was published outlining the initiative’s achievements and concrete policy initiatives to reduce the lifestyle risks of cancer and other chronic non-communicable diseases.

The European Chronic Disease Alliance joined the NCD Alliance Common Interest Group and met with EU Commissioner of Health, John Dalli, as well as the Hungarian EU Presidency to underline the importance of European leadership and support for the UN Summit on NCDs, 19-20 September 2011 in New York. They have petitioned WHO General Director, Margaret Chan and provided ECDA input to the UN Summit Zero Draft Outcome Statement circulated and being negotiated by all WHO Member States.

In a letter to European Heads of State, the ECDA has taken a strong position on the need for European leadership  at the UN Summit on NCDs. They urge EU leaders to seek agreement on a 25% global reduction by 2025 of preventable deaths from NCDs through a commitment to achieve specific measurable targets.