This article presents the platform European Lung Foundation (ELF) which was founded by the European Respiratory Society (ERS) in 2000 with the scope of providing a means for the exchange of ideas and help both among professionals in the sector and directly to patients. The aim is to improve respiratory health and to promote the involvement of people affected by respiratory diseases in all issues regarding respiratory medicine, so that they too have the possibility to influence the creation of guidelines at European level.