We are pleased to present the proceedings of the 6th European symposium on the “Societal Impact of Pain” (SIP 2016). The symposium brought together international experts in the field of pain care, along with patient representatives, policy makers and other stakeholders in the field of pain policy. SIP 2016 focused on areas of EU policy that affect pain care and aims to have a lasting political impact, with conclusions expected to be enshrined in the EU policy-making process.