On October 13 & 14, 2010, the European Cancer Patient Coalition (ECPC) was holding a two day Summit titled "ECPC Cancer Summit: Making the Cancer Partnership Work" in Brussels. Over 150 participants including researchers, parliamentarians, patients’ organizations, Member States' representatives and Commissioners gathered to focus on the activities deriving from the "European Partnership for Action Against Cancer" at the European level. The conference aimsed to create grass-roots momentum for collaboration of all stakeholders in tackling cancer in tandem with cancer patients which should be at the centre of these actions.

The "European Partnership for Action Against Cancer" was launched by the EU Commission in September 2009. At the launch of the event, the former Commissioner of Health, Androulla Vassiliou, stated that the EU 'never tried anything like this at European level before, and we are all going to learn progressively as the Partnership develops and evolves'. The new Commissioner of Health, John Dalli, is committed to take the Partnership forward, following his motto 'patients first'. Commissioner Dalli held a keynote speech at the ECPC Cancer Summit.