Debate: Mental health in the digital world of work
Date: TUESDAY, 5 JULY 2022
Speaker: Nicolas Schmit
Language: EN

Mental health is indeed a growing concern in all the Member States of the EU. This has also been recognised by the Commission in its recent communication on the Conference on the Future of Europe.  Already before the pandemic, mental health problems affected about 84 million people in the EU. This means, in concrete terms, an enormous personal suffering of people. Linked to that, there is an enormous cost for our societies in terms of well—being. But also, from a purely economic point of view, from the point of view of the labour market, these mental health problems are estimated to be about EUR 600 billion annually, which is roughly 4% of the EU GDP.  The pandemic has particularly affected the mental health of young people, people with less secure employment, people with less education or lower income. Young people deserve particular attention as the pandemic has had a heavy toll. According to the OECD, most countries’ mental health issues among the age group 15 to 24 have doubled or even more.  Young people need to be able to access support at an early stage in education as well as at work. This is also a matter of improving the quality of work, including telework.  On 22 June, the Commission presented its new initiative ‘Healthier Together: EU non-communicable diseases’. One of the initiative strands focuses on mental health and neurological disorders. It will promote mental well—being and address mental health disorders, improving timely and equitable access to high—quality mental health services and enhancing social inclusion of people living with a mental health problem.  With a budget of more than EUR 5.3 billion, the EU for Health programme will support these efforts. This includes two specific calls for proposals on the mental health of children, young people and their families. This will contribute to the European Year of Youth with a new budget contribution of EUR 4 billion each. A call for projects is also under way to tackle mental health challenges related to the COVID—19 pandemic and to meet young people’s mental health needs.  The EU contribution here is EUR 750 000. Moreover, we have also mobilised EUR 9 million to help people fleeing Ukraine that are in urgent need of mental health and trauma support.  Mental health is also a growing concern in the context of the labour market and the new world of work. Telework has the potential to deliver many benefits to people and society. We saw this during the pandemic when telework proved essential to preserving economic activity and employment. Going forward, telework can contribute to reconciling private and professional life, to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to reversing population decline in smaller cities and rural areas.  However, telework also carries some important risks, as some workers report feeling isolated or being unable to disconnect or find the right work—life balance and, I must say, mainly women are affected by this overburden which sometimes has been created by telework.  I want to stress that the EU legal framework on safety and health at work aims at protecting workers from all occupational health and safety risks, and this includes psycho—social risks. It is essential to fully apply these provisions on the ground. In this regard, and as pointed out in your report, we also need better awareness and training, and the next Healthy Workplaces Campaign of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work for 2325 will therefore also address these psycho—social risks.  In addition, the EU OSH strategic framework has already announced a non—legislative initiative related to mental health at work. The aim is to work towards a joint commitment for addressing psycho—social risks and preventing mental health problems by all relevant actors including, in particular, the social partners, Member States and labour inspectors. The Occupational Safety and Health Summit in May 2023 will provide a unique opportunity to generate momentum and concrete commitments.  We all acknowledge the importance of digitalisation of the world of work while respecting working time arrangements, upholding sound working conditions, health and safety, as well as the boundaries between professional and private life. The Commission is currently working on a possible review of the Workplace and Display Screen Directives, and this review would address issues related to changes in the world of work and digitalisation, including also psycho—social risks.  In parallel, analytical work on artificial intelligence, telework and the right to disconnect is ongoing. We are collecting evidence and looking into the future development of telework and the right to disconnect through a fact—finding study. We also co—hosted a conference with the European Parliament on these issues.  The social partners play a central role, so I am very pleased that the EU cross—industry social partners agreed last week to work towards commonly agreed solutions and review and update their 2002 autonomous agreement on telework, with a view to it being transformed into EU law. This will also address the right to disconnect.  A final word on care workers, because you just had an important debate on care. The pandemic has had significant impacts on their physical and mental health. As discussed earlier in September, the Commission will come forward with a European care strategy. Its aim is not only to boost access to quality, affordable and accessible care services, but also to improve working conditions and work—life balance for carers.  Mr President, honourable Members, I would like to thank again the rapporteur for her remarkable work and the many valuable elements in this report. I am sure that together we can tackle this issue of mental health, which destroys so many lives in our society.