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Since the previous version of the European Code Against Cancer was created [1], the European Union has expanded its number of Member States and next year (in 2004) will see a further and dramatic expansion as 10 new Member States join (Cyprus, Czech Republic, Hungary, Estonia, Malta, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia). Additionally, it is currently anticipated that Bulgaria and Romania will be admitted in 2007 followed at a later date by Turkey. These expansions enlarge the Union to incorporate a greater diversity of peoples with a much larger degree of heterogeneity present in lifestyle habits and disease risk than previously present. The contrast between the Mediterranean countries, the Nordic countries and those countries of Central and Eastern Europe is considerable. In view of the accession of new States, an important aspect of the revision of this Code was to take into consideration …