Mental Health at the Heart of EU Policy: a Strategic Priority for Stakeholders

The mental health initiative in a nutshell:

🔹 20 Flagship initiatives – These span a wide range of actions: from mental health promotion in schools and suicide prevention, to supporting people in vulnerable situations (e.g. migrants, older adults, people affected by crises). Flagships are designed to complement national efforts and stimulate innovation.

🔹 Substantial investment – More than €1.2 billion is being mobilised via EU4Health, Horizon Europe, and Erasmus+, with targeted calls for research, digital tools, workforce development, and cross-border collaboration.

🔹 Youth mental health in focus – Schools and educational systems are key allies. The Commission supports member states through teacher training, peer-support models, and tools to detect and respond to mental distress early.

🔹 Workplace well-being – A new focus on mental health at work promotes proactive measures against stress and burnout, with support for Member States to embed psychosocial risk management in labour and social policies.

🔹 Evidence-based policy – To ensure effective interventions, the Commission is strengthening data collection, indicators, and monitoring frameworks, allowing for better comparability and accountability across the EU.

🔹 Community-based services – In line with global health recommendations, the Commission encourages a shift away from institutional care towards integrated, person-centred services that are accessible at the community level.

This strategic approach offers opportunities for governments, civil society, researchers, health professionals, and employers to align efforts and deliver meaningful improvements in mental health outcomes across Europe.