"More than one in four Europeans (27%) suffer from mental illness every year, and it can cost our economies up to four per cent of GDP in lost productivity and other social costs. Mental health is an important factor in societal well-being and a vital part of a competitive economy," said the Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection Markos Kyprianou.
The European Commission has adopted a green paper on mental health to find ways to tackle mental illnesses and promote mental well-being in the EU. The green paper, adopted on 17 October, envisages:
- defining an EU action plan on mental health;
- launching an EU platform on mental health;
- building mental health information resources, collecting data, monitoring trends and identifying best practice at EU level.
The consultation will be launched on 24 October 2005 during a Commission mental health conference. Stakeholder comments on the role of the EU in mental health are due by 31 May 2006.
