BETA


2023/2074(INI) Mental health

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead ENVI CERDAS Sara (icon: S&D S&D) KYMPOUROPOULOS Stelios (icon: EPP EPP), SOLÍS PÉREZ Susana (icon: Renew Renew), ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ Nicolae (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE), NISSINEN Johan (icon: ECR ECR), PIMENTA LOPES João (icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 54

Events

2023/12/12
   EP - Text adopted by Parliament, single reading
Documents
2023/12/12
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Documents
2023/12/11
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2023/11/20
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary
Details

The Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety adopted an own-initiative report by Sara CERDAS (S&D, PT) on mental health.

According to Members, everyone can face different mental stressors and risk factors at different phases of their lives, which can increase the risk of more severe or even chronic mental health conditions. Mental health and well-being is shaped by a combination of socio-economic, environmental, biological and genetic factors.

Work and workplace

The Commission is called on to propose a legislative initiative, in consultation with the social partners, on the management of psychosocial risks and well-being at work, including online, in order to effectively prevent psychosocial risks in the workplace, provide training for management and workers, periodically assess progress and improve the working environment. The report further called on the Commission to adopt guidelines to support the access and return to work of people with mental health conditions, including more flexible work practices.

Member States are recommended to introduce measures to provide flexible work practices that support employees who suffer from disease, physical or emotional pain, stress or other health crises.

Elderly people

Members noted with concern that, in the context of an ageing society, the risks of mental health conditions in the elderly are increasing, including isolation and stigmatisation, which can lead to abuse, neglect and difficulties in coping with depression and other disorders. The report also noted with alarm that suicide rates among elderly people are high and believe it is therefore essential to promote the active participation of elderly people in community life, affordable and equal access to healthcare, as well as public support structures, community care, and infrastructure equipped with mental health specialists.

Members States are called on to develop national dementia plans in order to expand early diagnosis, support and care for adults with dementia.

Mental healthcare professionals

The report highlighted the need to ensure further investment in public health services and that they are staffed with sufficient mental health professionals. Members acknowledge that the shortages in the mental health workforce undermines the accessibility of mental health services. In this regard, they stressed the need for better trained professionals in the EU by ensuring training, re-training, certification and capacity building schemes for staff in order to increase the number of qualified professionals.

Early diagnosis and intervention

Mental health conditions are currently under- and misdiagnosed or are diagnosed late in the EU, resulting in significant individual and societal consequences, making this an issue that needs urgent attention. The report underlined the importance of early diagnosis and intervention for mental health conditions with a focus on vulnerable groups in society, as early intervention is cost-effective and may prevent poor outcomes.

Early identification and treatment of depression and substance use disorders are essential to reduce the suicide rate by one third by 2030, in line with the Member States’ commitment under the WHO Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2030 and target 3.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Mental health support and treatment

Members stressed that people with mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities have the right to receive evidence-based treatment and support tailored to their needs. The integration of family and caregiver support services into mental health service delivery models should be encouraged.

Mental health in the EU

The report invited the Commission to draw up a long-term, comprehensive and integrated European Mental Health Strategy focusing particularly on the most vulnerable groups in society. The European Mental Health Strategy should focus on many areas in which young people’s mental health can be improved in coordination with the European Education Area with specific focus on bullying and cyber-bullying in schools.

Financial support

Members consider that:

- sufficient funding should be allocated to match the scale of the challenge and that mental health must be further addressed in future financial programmes such as the EU4Health programme 2028-2034 and Horizon Europe;

- the EU lacks a direct fund for mental health research and innovation and called on the Commission to convert the flagship initiatives into concrete actions with adequate financial support for vulnerable groups and to create a mission on Mental Health from the Horizon Europe programme and the future programme in the Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2035.

Documents
2023/11/07
   EP - Vote in committee
2023/10/27
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2023/09/08
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2023/09/08
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2023/06/15
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2023/04/20
   EP - CERDAS Sara (S&D) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI

Documents

Activities

Votes

Mental health – A9-0367/2023 – Sara Cerdas – Motion for a resolution #

2023/12/12 Outcome: +: 482, -: 94, 0: 32
DE IT ES FR RO PT AT NL IE BE BG FI DK EL LT LV SI SK CY HR EE MT LU SE CZ HU PL
Total
84
62
51
69
27
20
16
23
13
19
15
13
12
16
9
8
7
12
6
12
7
5
5
16
20
18
43
icon: PPE PPE
159

Finland PPE

2

Denmark PPE

Abstain (1)

1

Slovakia PPE

Against (1)

4

Cyprus PPE

2

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Malta PPE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg PPE

2

Hungary PPE

Abstain (1)

1
icon: S&D S&D
124

Netherlands S&D

3

Belgium S&D

2
3

Greece S&D

1

Lithuania S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

For (1)

1

Slovakia S&D

Abstain (1)

1

Cyprus S&D

2

Estonia S&D

2
3

Czechia S&D

For (1)

1
icon: Renew Renew
86

Ireland Renew

2

Finland Renew

3

Greece Renew

1

Lithuania Renew

1

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Estonia Renew

3

Luxembourg Renew

2

Sweden Renew

2

Hungary Renew

2
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
63

Italy Verts/ALE

3

Spain Verts/ALE

2

Romania Verts/ALE

1

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Netherlands Verts/ALE

2

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Lithuania Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Sweden Verts/ALE

2

Czechia Verts/ALE

3
icon: The Left The Left
33

Netherlands The Left

For (1)

1

Belgium The Left

For (1)

1

Finland The Left

For (1)

1

Cyprus The Left

2

Sweden The Left

For (1)

1

Czechia The Left

1
icon: NI NI
39

Germany NI

Against (1)

2

France NI

3

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

Belgium NI

For (1)

1

Latvia NI

1

Croatia NI

2
icon: ID ID
45

Austria ID

2

Denmark ID

Against (1)

1

Estonia ID

Abstain (1)

1

Czechia ID

Against (2)

2
icon: ECR ECR
59

Germany ECR

Against (1)

1

Romania ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Belgium ECR

2

Bulgaria ECR

2

Finland ECR

2

Greece ECR

Against (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Latvia ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Slovakia ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Croatia ECR

Against (1)

1

Sweden ECR

3
AmendmentsDossier
524 2023/2074(INI)
2023/09/08 ENVI 524 amendments...
source: 752.879

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

docs/3
date
2023-12-12T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2023-0457_EN.html title: T9-0457/2023
type
Text adopted by Parliament, single reading
body
EP
events/3/docs
  • url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/CRE-9-2023-12-11-TOC_EN.html title: Debate in Parliament
events/4
date
2023-12-12T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2023-0457_EN.html title: T9-0457/2023
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting Parliament's vote
New
Procedure completed
forecasts
  • date: 2023-12-12T00:00:00 title: Vote scheduled
events/3
date
2023-12-11T00:00:00
type
Debate in Parliament
body
EP
forecasts/0
date
2023-12-12T00:00:00
title
Vote in plenary scheduled
forecasts/0
date
2023-12-11T00:00:00
title
Debate scheduled
forecasts/0/title
Old
Vote in plenary scheduled
New
Vote scheduled
forecasts/1
date
2023-12-12T00:00:00
title
Vote in plenary scheduled
forecasts/0/title
Old
Debate in plenary scheduled
New
Debate scheduled
docs/3
date
2023-11-20T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-9-2023-0367_EN.html title: A9-0367/2023
type
Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
body
EP
events/2/summary
  • The Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety adopted an own-initiative report by Sara CERDAS (S&D, PT) on mental health.
  • According to Members, everyone can face different mental stressors and risk factors at different phases of their lives, which can increase the risk of more severe or even chronic mental health conditions. Mental health and well-being is shaped by a combination of socio-economic, environmental, biological and genetic factors.
  • Work and workplace
  • The Commission is called on to propose a legislative initiative, in consultation with the social partners, on the management of psychosocial risks and well-being at work, including online, in order to effectively prevent psychosocial risks in the workplace, provide training for management and workers, periodically assess progress and improve the working environment. The report further called on the Commission to adopt guidelines to support the access and return to work of people with mental health conditions, including more flexible work practices.
  • Member States are recommended to introduce measures to provide flexible work practices that support employees who suffer from disease, physical or emotional pain, stress or other health crises.
  • Elderly people
  • Members noted with concern that, in the context of an ageing society, the risks of mental health conditions in the elderly are increasing, including isolation and stigmatisation, which can lead to abuse, neglect and difficulties in coping with depression and other disorders. The report also noted with alarm that suicide rates among elderly people are high and believe it is therefore essential to promote the active participation of elderly people in community life, affordable and equal access to healthcare, as well as public support structures, community care, and infrastructure equipped with mental health specialists.
  • Members States are called on to develop national dementia plans in order to expand early diagnosis, support and care for adults with dementia.
  • Mental healthcare professionals
  • The report highlighted the need to ensure further investment in public health services and that they are staffed with sufficient mental health professionals. Members acknowledge that the shortages in the mental health workforce undermines the accessibility of mental health services. In this regard, they stressed the need for better trained professionals in the EU by ensuring training, re-training, certification and capacity building schemes for staff in order to increase the number of qualified professionals.
  • Early diagnosis and intervention
  • Mental health conditions are currently under- and misdiagnosed or are diagnosed late in the EU, resulting in significant individual and societal consequences, making this an issue that needs urgent attention. The report underlined the importance of early diagnosis and intervention for mental health conditions with a focus on vulnerable groups in society, as early intervention is cost-effective and may prevent poor outcomes.
  • Early identification and treatment of depression and substance use disorders are essential to reduce the suicide rate by one third by 2030, in line with the Member States’ commitment under the WHO Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2030 and target 3.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals.
  • Mental health support and treatment
  • Members stressed that people with mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities have the right to receive evidence-based treatment and support tailored to their needs. The integration of family and caregiver support services into mental health service delivery models should be encouraged.
  • Mental health in the EU
  • The report invited the Commission to draw up a long-term, comprehensive and integrated European Mental Health Strategy focusing particularly on the most vulnerable groups in society. The European Mental Health Strategy should focus on many areas in which young people’s mental health can be improved in coordination with the European Education Area with specific focus on bullying and cyber-bullying in schools.
  • Financial support
  • Members consider that:
  • - sufficient funding should be allocated to match the scale of the challenge and that mental health must be further addressed in future financial programmes such as the EU4Health programme 2028-2034 and Horizon Europe;
  • - the EU lacks a direct fund for mental health research and innovation and called on the Commission to convert the flagship initiatives into concrete actions with adequate financial support for vulnerable groups and to create a mission on Mental Health from the Horizon Europe programme and the future programme in the Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2035.
forecasts/0/title
Old
Indicative plenary sitting date
New
Debate in plenary scheduled
forecasts/1
date
2023-12-12T00:00:00
title
Vote in plenary scheduled
docs/3
date
2023-11-20T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-9-2023-0367_EN.html title: A9-0367/2023
type
Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
body
EP
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  • url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-9-2023-0367_EN.html title: A9-0367/2023
events/2
date
2023-11-20T00:00:00
type
Committee report tabled for plenary
body
EP
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting committee decision
New
Awaiting Parliament's vote
commission
  • body: EC dg: Health and Food Safety commissioner: KYRIAKIDES Stella
events/1
date
2023-11-07T00:00:00
type
Vote in committee
body
EP
procedure/Other legal basis
Rules of Procedure EP 159
forecasts/0
date
2023-11-07T00:00:00
title
Vote scheduled in committee
docs/0
date
2023-07-28T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/ENVI-PR-751899_EN.html title: PE751.899
type
Committee draft report
body
EP
docs/2
date
2023-07-28T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/ENVI-PR-751899_EN.html title: PE751.899
type
Committee draft report
body
EP
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2023-10-24T00:00:00
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2023-11-07T00:00:00
forecasts/1
date
2023-12-11T00:00:00
title
Indicative plenary sitting date
docs/1
date
2023-09-08T00:00:00
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Amendments tabled in committee
body
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docs/2
date
2023-09-08T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/ENVI-AM-752936_EN.html title: PE752.936
type
Amendments tabled in committee
body
EP
forecasts
  • date: 2023-10-24T00:00:00 title: Vote scheduled in committee
committees/0/shadows
  • name: KYMPOUROPOULOS Stelios group: Group of European People's Party abbr: EPP
  • name: SOLÍS PÉREZ Susana group: Renew Europe group abbr: Renew
  • name: ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ Nicolae group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance abbr: Verts/ALE
  • name: NISSINEN Johan group: European Conservatives and Reformists Group abbr: ECR
  • name: PIMENTA LOPES João group: The Left group in the European Parliament - GUE/NGL abbr: GUE/NGL
docs/0/date
Old
2023-07-26T00:00:00
New
2023-07-28T00:00:00
docs/0/date
Old
2023-07-20T00:00:00
New
2023-07-26T00:00:00
docs
  • date: 2023-07-20T00:00:00 docs: url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/ENVI-PR-751899_EN.html title: PE751.899 type: Committee draft report body: EP
committees/0/rapporteur
  • name: CERDAS Sara date: 2023-04-20T00:00:00 group: Group of Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats abbr: S&D
committees
  • type: Responsible Committee body: EP committee_full: Environment, Public Health and Food Safety committee: ENVI associated: False
events
  • date: 2023-06-15T00:00:00 type: Committee referral announced in Parliament body: EP
procedure/dossier_of_the_committee
  • ENVI/9/12215
procedure/legal_basis
  • Rules of Procedure EP 54
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Preparatory phase in Parliament
New
Awaiting committee decision