In line with the objectives of the Recommendation #13 of the Mission on Cancer “Transform cancer culture, communication and capacity building”, CCI4EU is a European initiative aiming to help Member States (MSs), and Associated Countries (ACs) to rethink the cancer culture at all levels by funding relevant research, and a more equitable transfer of knowledge to everyone, in terms of prevention, diagnosis, and care.

Data already available confirm that the level of "Comprehensive Cancer Centre maturity" in Member States and Associated Countries is widely different, from some countries lacking Comprehensive Cancer Centres completely, to others with complex local, regional and national organisations that need better governance and integration. Capacity Building is a complex intervention that requires multiple and integrated actions, delivered to all the relevant stakeholders (policymakers, researchers, health professionals, citizens, patients, caregivers and private companies), designed with an inclusive approach and tailored to the baseline status, capable of creating a change and improvement in care and research, with greater integration between them and supported by a continuing education programme.

CCI4EU solution: this Coordination and Support Action (CSA) will support Member States and Associated Countries in improving or developing their existing or future Comprehensive Cancer Centres, focussing on building their research innovation and digital-related capacities and their integration with cancer care. The CCI4EU tailored Capacity Building Programme objective is to achieve that 90% of cancer patients are treated in Comprehensive Cancer Centres by 2030.

CCI4EU’s main objective is to improve or develop existing or future Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructures (CCIs). This will be achieved within 3 years, through the following specific objectives:

• O1. To finalize a standardised matrix of cancer research/care performance indicators, and a master model, to be used to analyse the maturity of CCIs across the EU.
• O2. To map the maturity of CCIs across all EU Member States according to the agreed matrix of cancer research/care performance indicators; thereby clustering CCIs according to maturity.
• O3. To plan a Capacity Building Programme (CBP) tailored to each identified cluster, and within the cluster further customising tailored interventions for CCIs (in agreement with the relevant public authorities), giving precedence to those Member States with a low maturity of CCIs.
• O4. To identify, structure and coach the CBP implementers to deliver the onsite tailored interventions, so as to achieve consistency of approach; to make available online platforms for training/capacity building for certain interventions (e.g. data and leadership training).
• O5. To execute the CBP, covering all EU MSs at various levels of tailored intervention (all having access to online interventions, and some having onsite interventions), reporting on the impact and recommended sustainable follow-up actions for each CCI site.
• O6. To disseminate and communicate to the relevant stakeholders (i.e. research and healthcare professional, policy-makers, citizens including patients, patients’ associations and informal caregivers) the CBP lessons learned and best practices, to further exploit the CBP beyond the project.