Director General Françoise Meunier discusses the challenges faced today by clinical researchers in cancer. She outlines key changes needed in the ongoing revision of the Clinical Trials Directive – in particular, the need for a risk-based approach to trials, and for Member States to harmonise their implementation of the Directive – and she describes the essential features of a suggested new partnership between academia and industry. She also covers the role EORTC will continue to play in developing the early careers of investigators.