EU developments
Since 2005, significant steps ahead have been made in the field of mental health both at EU and national policy level.
A milestone in the development of mental health policies has been the WHO Declaration and Action Plan for Mental Health in Europe signed on the occasion of the WHO European Ministerial Conference on Mental Health in Helsinki on 12-15 January 2005. The European Commission and the Council of Europe were key partners in this event. The Conference addressed key issues of mental health promotion, mental disorder prevention and mental health care. The Ministers of Health of the Member States in the WHO European Region committed themselves, in the presence of the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection and together with the WHO Regional Director for Europe, to address the challenges associated to mental health problems on the basis of a comprehensive approach.
The Helsinki conference paved the way for the adoption of the European Commission Green Paper ‘Improving the Mental Health of the Population: Towards a Strategy on Mental Health for the European Union' (14 October 2005).The Green Paper was formally launched on 24 October 2005 and involved about a hundred delegates including representatives of EU Member States, a broad range of stakeholders as well as academic experts. The European Commission launched an open consultation on the Green Paper involving the European Institutions, Governments, health professionals, stakeholders in other sectors and civil society including patient organisations and the research community. The consultation process closed on 31 May 2006 and launched a debate on the possible development of a European Commission proposal for an EU-Strategy on Mental Health.
The European Parliament and the European Economic and Social Committee have actively taken part in the public consultation on mental health and have adopted a resolution and an opinion , respectively.
Following up on the consultation on the Commission's Green Paper on Mental Health, in December 2007, a decision was taken by the Commission not to develop a formal communication on mental health, but to take a more action-oriented approach in order to support action on mental health in the EU.
The process led to the launch of a European Pact for Mental Health and Well-being . The Pact was launched at a High-Level Conference on Mental Health and Well-being on 13 June 2008, led by the European Commission in collaboration with the Slovenian Presidency and the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe.
The Pact is a call for partnership in action and expresses the determination of Member States and stakeholders from sectors such as health, education, workplace, social affairs and civil society to engage in longer-term work of exchange and cooperation on mental health and wellbeing in the EU. TIt recognises the health, social and economic benefits of good mental health for all and the need to overcome the taboo and stigma still associated with mental illness. The Pact suggests pooling knowledge from across the EU in order to develop commonly supported recommendations for actions in five key areas:
1. Prevention of suicide and depression;
2. Mental health in youth and education;
3. Mental health in workplace settings;
4. Mental health in older people;
5. Combating stigma and social exclusion.
The European Pact for Mental Health and Well-Being is now entering its implementation phase, in which stakeholders and policy makers in each of the 5 priority areas are encouraged in action towards promoting mental health and well-being and preventing mental disorders. This process will continue through 2009 and 2010.
The Pact is being implemented through a series of thematic conferences in each of the five priority areas. These conferences are hosted by Member States in partnership with EC bodies and other stakeholders. In at least two cases these events will be linked to European Presidencies.
- 29-30th Sept 2009.- Mental Health in Youth and Education. - Stockholm, Sweden
- 10-11th Dec 2009. - Prevention of Depression and Suicide. - Budapest, Hungary
- 21st -22nd April 2010. - Mental Health in Older People- Madrid, Spain
- 2nd Semester 2010. - Combating Stigma and Social Exclusion. - Lisbon, Portugal
- Early 2011. - Mental Health in Workplace Settings. - Berlin, Germany
As preparation for each conference an Implementation Framework will be developed by lead experts in each area. Stakeholders will also have the opportunity to engage with the process by gathering examples of action and forming proposed recommendations.
The outcomes of the conferences will be disseminated widely.
As part of the implementation process the European Commission has also launched the "EU Compass for Action on Mental Health and Well-being", a database and practical guide for Member States and stakeholders with the aim of collecting and disseminating relevant examples of good practice in mental health action for the five Pact's priority areas. This allows Member States, regional authorities and non-governmental partners to present and access good practices in these areas, thereby promoting the exchange of solutions across the EU.
