Council resolution of 18 November 1999 on the promotion of mental health
Date: 1999-11-18
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: action programme, health policy, mental health, public health

24.3.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 86/1

I

(Information)

COUNCIL

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
the
efforts of the Member States in this area;

in order to assist

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,
alia, on reducing
mortality and morbidity related to general living conditions
and lifestyles, with regard to both physical and mental
aspects;

inter

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
depressive
awareness of
syndromes;

appropriate

treatments

for

(1) OJ C 165, 17.6.1994, p. 1.
(2) OJ C 390, 15.12.1998, p. 1.

5. TAKING NOTE of

the joint World Health Organisation/
European Commission meeting on (cid:145)Balancing mental
health promotion and mental health care(cid:146) held in
Brussels from 22 to 24 April 1999, and its conclusions
entitled (cid:145)There is no health without mental health(cid:146);

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
inclusion and to full social and

quality of life, to social
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;

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Official Journal of the European Communities

24.3.2000

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 organi-
sations;

14. RECOGNISES the need for addressing the promotion of
cooperation with

increased

the

mental
in
applicant countries;

health

and demonstration activities (1998 to 2002) adopted
by Decision No 182/1999/EC of
the European
Parliament and of the Council (1);

16.

INVITES the Commission:

15.

INVITES the Member States:

(cid:151) to give due attention to mental health and to

strengthen its promotion in their policies,

(cid:151) 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,

(cid:151) to collect good quality data on mental health and
actively share it with other Member States and the
Commission,

(cid:151) to develop and implement, as a part of the Community
for mental

health monitoring system, a component
health and to produce a report on mental health,

(cid:151) to develop and implement action to promote mental
health and prevent mental
and promote
exchange of good practices and joint projects with
other Member States,

illness

(cid:151) to analyse the impact of Community activities on
mental health, for example in the fields of education,
youth policy, social affairs and employment,

(cid:151) to stimulate and support research on mental health and
its promotion, also using the opportunities provided by
the fifth framework programme of
the European
technological development
Community for research,

(cid:151) to consider, after consultation of the Member states, the
need to draw up a proposal for a Council recommen-
dation on the promotion of mental health.

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