Pain therapy and palliative care will be listed as healthcare priorities during the Italian presidency of the EU council in the second semester of 2014.This is exiting because for the first time ever all EU Ministers of Health will be called upon to discuss how to direct national and European strategies and health policies to address the need for improved pain care in Europe.Considering the importance of this announcement it was also decided to celebrate the 5th SIP symposium by inviting Nick Ross, widely regarded as one of the most professional conference moderators in the world. The intention is to break away completely from the traditional format by invited leading European stakeholders to join a series of provocative and audience interactive panel discussions and interviews. The aim will be to define what needs to be done now to ensure that chronic pain and palliative care will receive the priority on the agenda of the EU institutions and the member states also in the long term.