Council resolution

of 18 November 1999

on the promotion of mental health

(2000/C 86/01)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

1. RECALLING the Council resolution of 2 June 1994 on the framework for Community action in the field of public health(1) where it was stated that mental diseases, which account for a very high level of morbidity and total health expenditure, must be examined forthwith with a view to identifying the kind and extent of actions that have to be undertaken at Community level in order to assist the efforts of the Member States in this area;

2. RECALLING the Commission communication of 16 April 1998 on the development of public health policy in the European Community which identified mental health as an issue to be taken into account in the future Community action in the field of public health;

3. RECALLING the Council conclusions of 26 November 1998 on the future framework for Community action in the field of public health(2) which stated that the greatest benefits for the health of EU citizens are likely to be achieved by focusing Community action, inter alia, on reducing mortality and morbidity related to general living conditions and lifestyles, with regard to both physical and mental aspects;

4. TAKING NOTE of the resolution of the European Parliament of 9 March 1999 on the Commission report on the state of women's health in the European Community which called on the Commission to improve the presently scarce data on mental health and disease in the Union and to create awareness of appropriate treatments for depressive syndromes;

5. TAKING NOTE of the joint World Health Organisation/European Commission meeting on "Balancing mental health promotion and mental health care" held in Brussels from 22 to 24 April 1999, and its conclusions entitled "There is no health without mental health";

6. WELCOMES the European Conference on Promotion of Mental Health and Social Inclusion held in Tampere from 11 to 13 October 1999, which highlighted the importance of mental health and the need for action as a part of the Community public health strategy;

7. RECOGNISES that mental health is an indvisible part health;

8. CONSIDERS that mental health contributes significantly to quality of life, to social inclusion and to full social and economic participation;

9. UNDERLINES that mental problems and illnesses are common, cause human suffering and disability, increase mortality, and have negative implications for national economies;

10. UNDERLINES that the problems of mental health are often linked to, among other factors, unemployment, social marginalisation and exclusion, homelessness and drug and alcohol abuse;

11. RECOGNISES that there are effective methods to promote mental health and to prevent mental problems and illnesses;

12. CONSIDERS that there is a need for enhancing the value and visibility of mental health and to promote good mental health, in particular among children, young people, elderly people and at work;

13. CONSIDERS it important to cooperate with the World Health Organisation in a coordinated way on mental health issues as well as with other international organisations;

14. RECOGNISES the need for addressing the promotion of mental health in the increased cooperation with applicant countries;

15. INVITES the Member States:

- to give due attention to mental health and to strengthen its promotion in their policies,

- to collect good quality data on mental health and actively share it with other Member States and the Commission,

- to develop and implement action to promote mental health and prevent mental illness and promote exchange of good practices and joint projects with other Member States,

- to stimulate and support research on mental health and its promotion, also using the opportunities provided by the fifth framework programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (1998 to 2002) adopted by Decision No 182/1999/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council(3);

16. INVITES the Commission:

- to consider incorporating activities on the theme of mental health in the future action programme for public health, such as exchange of information and good practices, networking,

- to develop and implement, as a part of the Community health monitoring system, a component for mental health and to produce a report on mental health,

- to analyse the impact of Community activities on mental health, for example in the fields of education, youth policy, social affairs and employment,

- to consider, after consultation of the Member states, the need to draw up a proposal for a Council recommendation on the promotion of mental health.

(1) OJ C 165, 17.6.1994, p. 1.

(2) OJ C 390, 15.12.1998, p. 1.

(3) OJ L 26, 1.2.1999, p. 1.