The EU can carry out actions that complement activities at the national level in the field of public health (article 152 of the EU Treaty of Amsterdam).

On this basis, the European Commission launched a Green Paper in 2005 intended to gather views on a future common mental health strategy. The Commission’s proposal was to focus on: promotion of mental health; prevention of ill health; improvement of the quality of life for people with mental health problems, promotion of their social inclusion and the protection of their rights and dignity; development of a mental health research and knowledge system for the EU.

Following a consultation on the Green Paper in 2006 the Commission launched the European Pact for Mental Health and Wellbeing, at a high-level Conference in 2008.

The Pact shows the commitment of the European institutions, Member States and different stakeholders to improving mental health in Europe. For each of the five areas below, a consensus paper has been prepared and a series of thematic conferences have been taking place across Europe since late 2009.

1. Mental Health in Youth and Education – early years are crucial for mental wellbeing and schools are a privileged setting for monitoring mental health in young people. (September 2009, Stockholm)
2. Prevention of Depression and Suicide – they are the most common and extreme forms of poor mental respectively. (December 2009, Budapest )
3. Mental Health in Older People – they have a high risk of developing mental health problems. (June 2010, Madrid)
4. Combating stigma and social exclusion – discrimination and poor mental health could reinforce each other. (November 2010, Lisbon)
5. Mental Health in Workplace settings – promotion of mental wellbeing in the labour force and inclusion of people with mental health problems in the labour market. (March 2011, Berlin)

These conferences aim to give an overview of the different policies existing in Europe, and contribute with data, good practice, policy documents and recommendations to the EU Compass for Action on Mental Health and Wellbeing. The Compass gathers resources for mental health policy: a) good practices in the five areas above, b) reports and studies, c) policy statements from different stakeholders and d) reports on the progress made in the implementation of the Pact.