Fighting for a cure
The European ME Coalition (EMEC) is an advocacy group for persons suffering from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).
The ME/CFS Pledge
We, the European ME Coalition (EMEC) call upon all candidates in the 2024 European elections to commit to supporting individuals suffering from ME/CFS by endorsing our pledge (learn more about our pledge here).
Pledge statement
Upon my election to the European Parliament, I pledge to support people affected by ME/CFS by ensuring that the EU/European Commission follows the commitments laid out in Resolution 2020/2580(RSP). This includes taking action to:
- Raise awareness and advocate for better recognition of ME/CFS as a legitimate health condition and the need for EU-level actions commensurate with its high human and socio-economic burden.
- Ensure the European Commission allocates additional funding and promotes cooperation for biomedical research into ME/CFS at the EU level, prioritizing calls in this (specific) area through initiatives such as Horizon Europe.
- Promote EU-level measures and funding for awareness campaigns about ME/CFS, medical education and training for health and social care professionals, and the exchange of ME/CFS-related best practices across member states.
Signees
You can sign our pledge by emailing us at europeanmecoalition@outlook.com. The candidates and MEPs who have already signed the pledge are listed below.
| Name | Party | Country |
| Pascal ARIMONT | Christlich Soziale Partei European People’s Party | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| Radan KANEV | Democrats for Strong Bulgaria European People’s Party | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria |
| Jordi CAÑAS | Partido de la Ciudadanía Renew Europe | 🇪🇸 Spain |
| Cindy FRANSSEN (not re-electable) | Christen-Democratisch & Vlaams (CD&V) European People’s Party | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| Sirpa PIETIKÄINEN | Kansallinen Kokoomus European People’s Party | 🇫🇮 Finland |
| Frances FITZGERALD (not re-electable) | Fine Gael Party European People’s Party | 🇮🇪 Ireland |
| Katrin LANGENSIEPEN | Bündnis 90/Die Grünen Greens/EFA | 🇩🇪 Germany |
| Jutta PAULUS | Bündnis 90/Die Grünen Greens/EFA | 🇩🇪 Germany |
| Karsten LUCKE | Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands Socialists & Democrats | 🇩🇪 Germany |
| Ciarán CUFFE | Green Party Greens/EFA | 🇮🇪 Ireland |
| Günther SIDL | Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs Socialists & Democrats | 🇦🇹 Austria |
| Andreas SCHIEDER | Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs Socialists & Democrats | 🇦🇹 Austria |
| Lukas MANDL | Österreichische Volkspartei European People’s Party | 🇦🇹 Austria |
| Kathleen VAN BREMPT | Vooruit Socialists & Democrats | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| Tiemo WÖLKEN | Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands Socialists & Democrats | 🇩🇪 Germany |
| Hannes HEIDE | Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs Socialists & Democrats | 🇦🇹 Austria |
| Melissa LOOS | Partei der Humanisten Non-attached Members | 🇩🇪 Germany |
| Luke Ming FLANAGAN | Independent The Left GUE/NGL | 🇮🇪 Ireland |
| Helmut BRANDSTÄTTER | Das Neue Osterreich und Liberales Forum Renew Europe | 🇦🇹 Austria |
| Johan VAN OVERTVELDT | Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (N-VA) European Conservatives and Reformists | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| Mohammed CHAHIM | Partij van de Arbeid Socialists & Democrats | 🇳🇱 Netherlands |
| Benedikte DEMUNCK | Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (N-VA) European Conservatives and Reformists | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| Antoni COMÍN I OLIVERES | Junts UE Non-attached Members | 🇪🇸 Spain |
| Cristina MONTANÉ MONTALS | Junts UE Non-attached Members | 🇪🇸 Spain |
| Ines KOSTIC | Partij voor de Dieren GUE/NGL | 🇳🇱 Netherlands |
| Raquel GARCÍA HERMIDA-VAN DER WALLE | D66 Renew Europe | 🇳🇱 Netherlands |
| Per CLAUSEN | Enhedslisten GUE/NGL | 🇩🇰 Denmark |
| Barbara BONTE | Vlaams Belang Identity and Democracy | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| Kati SCHNEEBERGER | Die Grünen Greens/EFA | 🇦🇹 Austria |
| Charles HOAREAU | Non à l’UE et à l’OTAN, communistes pour la paix et le progrès social Non-attached Members | 🇫🇷 France |
| Assita KANKO | Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (N-VA) European Conservatives and Reformists | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| Valentina CRAST | Alternativet Aligned to the Green Group | 🇩🇰 Denmark |
| Jan KRISTOFFERSEN | Alternativet Aligned to the Green Group | 🇩🇰 Denmark |
| Thomas WAITZ | Die Grünen Greens/EFA | 🇦🇹 Austria |
| Katrin FALLMANN | Die Grünen Greens/EFA | 🇦🇹 Austria |
| Alexander BERNHUBER | Österreichische Volkspartei European People’s Party | 🇦🇹 Austria |
| Merel MULLER | Partij voor de Dieren GUE/NGL | 🇳🇱 Netherlands |
| Lorys ELMAYAN | La Ruche Citoyenne Non-attached Members | 🇫🇷 France |
| Ellen MOK | D66 Renew Europe | 🇳🇱 Netherlands |
| Lena SCHILLING | Die Grünen Greens/EFA | 🇦🇹 Austria |
| Jean Marc GOVERNATORI | Écologie au centre Non-attached Members | 🇫🇷 France |
| Gashaw BIBANI | Vasemmistoliitto GUE/NGL | 🇫🇮 Finland |
| Diane LAGRANGE | Nous Le Peuple Non-attached Members | 🇫🇷 France |
| Patrice GRUDÉ | Liberté démocratique française Non-attached Members | 🇫🇷 France |
| Ines VUKAJLOVIC | Die Grünen Greens/EFA | 🇦🇹 Austria |
| Raphaël GLUCKSMANN | Place publique Socialists & Democrats | 🇫🇷 France |
| Marie TOUSSAINT David CORMAND Mélissa CAMARA Mounir SATOURI Majdouline SBAI Benoit BITEAU Caroline ROOSE Aboulaye DIARRA Priscillia LUDOSKY Amine KESSACI Flora GHEBALI Claude GRUFFAT Stéphanie DEMBAK-DIJOUX Régis GODEC Aminata PALLUD | Europe Écologie Greens/EFA | 🇫🇷 France |
| Christophe CLERGEAU | Réveiller L’Europe Socialists & Democrats | 🇫🇷 France |
| Charlotte PICARD | Réveiller L’Europe Socialists & Democrats | 🇫🇷 France |
| Dirk VANSINTJAN | Groen Greens/EFA | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| Frédérique BONNARD | Réveiller L’Europe Socialists & Democrats | 🇫🇷 France |
| Elke TWEEPENNINCKX | Groen Greens/EFA | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| Magda AELVOET | Groen Greens/EFA | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| Simon MICHALKE | Partei der Humanisten Non-attached Members | 🇩🇪 Germany |
| Maarten TAVERNIER | Groen Greens/EFA | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| Dieynaba DIOP | Réveiller L’Europe Socialists & Democrats | 🇫🇷 France |
| Charis KAMOEN | Christen-Democratisch & Vlaams (cd&v) European People’s Party | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| Elsa RUILLERE | Non à l’UE et à l’OTAN, communistes pour la paix et le progrès social Non-attached Members | 🇫🇷 France |
| Nora MEBAREK | Réveiller L’Europe Socialists & Democrats | 🇫🇷 France |
| Janneke RONSE | Partij van de Arbeid van België (PVDA) GUE/NGL | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| Michel SIMONIN | Paix et décroissance Non-attached Members | 🇫🇷 France |
| Torsten LAKSAFOSS HOLBEK | Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti Renew Europe | 🇩🇰 Denmark |
| Liesbet SOMMEN | Christen-Democratisch & Vlaams (CD&V) European People’s Party | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
Welcome!
Welcome to the website of EMEC, the European ME Coalition. We are an advocacy group for persons suffering from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) in Europe. Our team consists of ME/CFS patients and carers who strive for high-quality scientific research so that one day an effective treatment for this debilitating illness can be found.
We have submitted petition No 0204/2019 on a request for funding for biomedical research on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis which has been signed more than 10.000 times. EMEC member and ME/CFS patient Evelien Van Den Brink subsequently made a powerful speech in the European Parliament where she addressed European representatives as follows:
“on behalf of all patients I’m asking you: please don’t look away. We are here and today we have made ourselves visible.”
The petition and speech resulted in a resolution on additional funding for biomedical ME/CFS research, which was adopted on 17 June 2020 by the European Parliament. This is the first-ever European resolution on ME/CFS and could mean a historic breakthrough for scientific research into the illness.
We have also worked on an open letter signed by 115 esteemed scientists and researchers worldwide that addresses the underfunding of ME/CFS research in Europe. While national governments in Canada, Australia, and the United States have earmarked funding for ME/CFS research, the EU is funding little to no biomedical research into this condition. This has to change.
Learn more about our initiatives by clicking on one of the submenus below.