Council Conclusions of 2 June 2003 on combating stigma and discrimination in relation to mental illness
Date: 2003-06-02
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: anti-discriminatory measure, discrimination based on disability, exchange of information, marginalisation, mental illness

17.6.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 141/1

I

(Information)

COUNCIL

COUNCIL CONCLUSIONS

of 2 June 2003

on combating stigma and discrimination in relation to mental illness

(2003/C 141/01)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

1. RECALLING the Council Resolution of 18 November 1999
on the promotion of mental health (1), which,
inter alia,
invited the Commission to consider incorporating activities
on the
action
theme of mental health in future
programmes for public health, the Council Resolution of
29 June 2000 on action on health determinants (2), the
Council Conclusions of 5 June 2001 on a Community
strategy to reduce alcohol-related harm (3) which,
inter
alia, underline the close link between alcohol abuse,
social exclusion and mental
illness, and the Council
Conclusions of 15 November 2001 on combating stress
and depression-related problems (4), which,
alia,
invited Member States
to improve
knowledge on the promotion of mental health in
primary care and other health services as well as in
social services;

to take

actions

inter

2. RECALLING that

the Community action programme to
combat discrimination (2001 to 2006) (5) emphasises,
inter alia, the particular needs of people with disabilities
and the need for a combination of measures, particularly
concerning legislation and practical action designed to be
mutually reinforcing;

4. RECALLING that the programme of Community action in
the field of public health (2003-2008) (7) is intended to
inter alia, to ensuring a high level of human
contribute,
health protection in the definition and implementation of
all Community policies
through the
promotion of an integrated and intersectoral health
strategy, and to tackling inequalities in health;

and activities,

5. WELCOMES the European Conference on ‘Mental illness and
stigma in Europe: facing up to the challenges of social
inclusion and equity’ held in Athens from 27 to 29
March 2003, which highlighted the
importance of
combating stigma to improve mental health;

6. WELCOMES the Resolution of

the 55th World Health
Assembly WHA55.10 endorsed by all Member States
the toll of mental health problems is
recognising that
very high and rising worldwide,
such problems
that
cause significant disability, heighten the risk of social
exclusion, and increase mortality, that stigmatisation and
discrimination are major problems obstructing the path to
care, and that the human and economic costs are stag-
gering;

7. RECOGNISES that stigma in relation to mental
contributes negatively to equality and social
and therefore has implications for health protection;

illness
inclusion,

3. RECALLING that the programme of Community action to
encourage cooperation between Member States to combat
social exclusion (6) emphasises that measures to combat
social exclusion should aim at enabling everyone to
support himself or herself, by gainful employment or
otherwise, and to integrate into society;

8. UNDERLINES the existence of evidence on the deleterious
effect of stigma and discrimination on the course and
outcome of mental illness, and on the standard of living
life of those persons affected and their
and quality of
families;

(1) OJ C 86, 24.3.2000, p. 1.
(2) OJ C 218, 31.7.2000, p. 8.
(3) OJ C 175, 20.6.2001, p. 1.
(4) OJ C 6, 9.1.2002, p. 1.
(5) OJ L 303, 2.12.2000, p. 23.
(6) OJ L 10, 12.1.2002, p. 1.

9. RECOGNISES the importance of promoting effective actions
across all relevant policies to increase social inclusion and
equity and to combat discrimination and stigma;

(7) OJ L 271, 9.10.2002, p. 1.

C 141/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

17.6.2003

10. CONSIDERS that there is a need to enhance the visibility
and public awareness of, on the one hand, the importance
of mental health to everybody and, on the other hand, the
problems associated with stigma and discrimination in
relation to mental illness;

11. RECOGNISES the importance of access to appropriate and
effective treatment, access to the labour market, education
and other public services in order to facilitate the inte-
illness
gration and reintegration of people with mental
into society;

12.

INVITES the Member States to

— give specific attention to the impact of stigma and
discrimination related problems due to mental illness
in all age groups, and ensure that these problems are
recognised, in this context giving special attention to
the reduction of risks of social exclusion,

— collect good quality data on health, economic and
social consequences of stigma due to mental illness,

— undertake action to combat stigma and promote social
inclusion in active partnership and dialogue with all
the stakeholders to encourage an integrated and coor-
dinated approach;

13.

INVITES the Commission to

— give specific attention to active collaboration in all
relevant Community policies and actions, and in
particular
employment,
non-discrimination, social protection, education and
health,
in order to reduce stigma and discrimination
in relation to mental illness,

in activities

relating

to

— undertake

facilitate

activities

exchange

of
to
learning in the context of
information and mutual
national policies
to ensure health protection for
people with mental health problems, giving special
attention to combating stigma and discrimination,
and to promoting social
inclusion for people with
mental illness.