Clune’s Cancer Proposals voted in European Parliament Today
Today, the European Parliament will take a momentous stride towards dismantling the financial barriers faced by cancer survivors. Amendments on the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ for cancer survivors, tabled by Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune, have been included and approved in the EU’s Consumer Credits Directive.
The ‘Right to be Forgotten’ clause removes the obligation on individuals to disclose past cancer diagnoses to financial institutions such as banks and insurance companies, provided a specified period has passed since the end of their treatment.
“With over 200,000 Irish patients living after an invasive cancer diagnosis, the pressing need to address the challenges faced by survivors in various aspects of their lives cannot be overstated,” Clune highlighted.
“This significant achievement paves the way for greater equality and protection for cancer patients and survivors. Nevertheless, this journey is far from over. We now need all EU Member States, including Ireland, to implement the directive, so that financial service providers must adopt appropriate practices at national level.”
MEP Clune reiterated her unwavering commitment to securing the support and rights that cancer survivors rightfully deserve. “No one should have to pay twice for their diagnosis,” she added.
“This significant development in the EU’s Consumer Credits Directive serves as a testament to the power of advocacy and collaborative efforts within the European Parliament.”
“Therefore, while this marks a historic moment, in which the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ is enshrined into EU law for the very first time, now is the time to go further, for the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ to be extended to include mortgages,” concluded Clune.
