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27th Annual ESGO 2026 Congress
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ENGOT coordinates and promotes gynaecological cancer clinical trials in Europe
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In 2024, ESGO launched an advocacy initiative to strengthen its voice in European health policy and champion the needs of women affected by gynaecological cancers.
By engaging with the EU at a political level, ESGO will advocate for improved standards of care, better access to treatment, increased research funding, and the establishment of a network of centres of excellence across Member States.
ESGO will continue to expand its advocacy efforts, fostering collaboration with like-minded societies based in Brussels and ensuring that gynaecological oncology remains a prominent focus on the EU health agenda.
ESGO hosted a High-Level Policy Event at the European Parliament on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. Hosted by MEPs Vytenis Andriukaitis, Tilly Metz and Romana Jerković, the event provided a platform for dialogue on women’s health and featured a presentation of ESGO’s proposal for an EU-wide network of Centres of Excellence for Women’s Health.
Anna Fagotti, ESGO President, and Jalid Sehouli, ESGO President-Elect, addressed the inequality of gynaecological cancer treatment and care for women across Europe and Anne de Middelaer, ENGAGE Co-Chair-Elect, shared a vital patient perspective. Maja Pakiz, ESGO Vice-President, closed the event with a Call to Action which was signed in poster form by all key stakeholders in attendance.
You can read ESGO's position paper, download the poster and watch the recording below.
Read position paper
Download Call to Action
Read press release
Watch recording
In alignment with our Equity, Diversity & Inclusion initiatives, the EDI Working Group has published a Position Statement on the topic of inclusive surgical ergonomics. The statement outlines the importance of ergonomic equity and inclusive theatre design both for optimal patient outcomes and for supporting diverse surgical teams.
The statement has been published in the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer.
Read position statement
As part of the reform of the European Union's pharmaceutical legislation, a new EU-wide definition of ‘Unmet Medical Need’ (UMN) is being developed.
ESGO and ENGAGe have co-signed a position paper by Cancer Patients Europe that proposes an expanded definition of UMN and urges the EU to adopt this broader, more patient-centred definition.
Uterine cancer has long been overlooked in global health priorities due to stigma, misconceptions, and lack of awareness. Yet its incidence is rising rapidly.
To address this challenge, ESGO and ENGAGe have joined forces with nine gynaecological networks and societies to develop a new position paper, supported by funding from AstraZeneca. The paper calls for breaking down barriers to equitable care and ensuring uterine cancer receives the global attention it deserves.
In August 2025, ESGO made a submission to the European Commission's Gender Equality Strategy post-2025 outlining the importance of including women's health at the forefront of this strategy, drawing on its expertise in women's cancer care.
In its submission, ESGO proposed the establishment of an EU-wide Ecosystem of Centres of Excellence for Women’s Health, which would unite Member States and ensure all women in Europe can access high-quality cancer care.
Vice President Ass. Prof. Maja Pakiz participated in an exchange of views with the European Parliament’s Committee on Public Health (SANT) on 14 May 2025, calling for stronger and more coordinated EU-level action to address the persistent gaps in care, research, and policy surrounding ovarian and other gynaecological cancers.