European Union

And the latest Coreper moves on the mini-omnibus and EDIP

Commission v Greece
Failure of a Member State to fulfil its obligations: Greece is ordered to pay financial penalties for failing to comply with a 2014 judgment of the Court of Justice

Environ 10 000 prisonniers ukrainiens ont rejoint l'armée pour sortir de prison, mais tous ne survivront pas pour obtenir leur liberté.

In today's edition: Game developers fret over; EU-US tech relations; Chat control

In today's edition: EU-Morocco, veggie burger, simplification

Togo international Samuel Asamoah broke his neck in a freak collision with an advertising board which his club says could leave him paralysed.

Thursday 9 October

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Thursday 9 October

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Written by Laurence Amand-Eeckhout.

Background

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as ‘a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realise their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community’. Multiple individual, social and structural factors may combine to protect or undermine mental health. Individual psychological and biological factors such as emotional skills and substance use can make people more vulnerable. Exposure to unfavourable social, economic, geopolitical and environmental circumstances (such as a pandemic, rising living costs, conflicts and war) increases people’s vulnerability to poor mental health. In addition, digitalisation and climate anxiety are among major trends that could contribute to a ‘perfect storm‘ for young Europeans’ mental health, in particular.

Risks to mental health at work can include: being overqualified or underqualified for the role; excessive workloads or work pace, or understaffing; long, unsocial or inflexible hours; lack of control over job design or workload; unsafe or poor physical working conditions; an organisational culture that enables negative behaviour; violence, harassment or bullying; discrimination; an unclear job role; job insecurity, inadequate pay, or poor investment in career development; and conflicting demands of work and home.

World Mental Health Day was first celebrated on 10 October 1992 on the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health. The theme for 2025 – ‘Mental health in humanitarian emergencies‘ – emphasises the need for readily available mental health support in times of crises. Conflicts, disasters and health emergencies exert a significant impact on mental health. It is estimated that approximately one in five individuals living in conflict-affected areas experiences a mental health condition, often characterised by fear, anxiety or sadness. Nearly everyone affected experiences emotional distress and disrupted community ties. Alongside the provision of food, water and medicine, access to mental health and psychosocial support is deemed essential to enable survivors to cope, recover and rebuild their lives.

Facts and figures

According to data released by the WHO in September 2025, more than 1 billion people worldwide (around one in eight) are living with mental health disorders, including conditions such as anxiety and depression. Globally, one in seven adolescents (10- to 19-year-olds) experiences a mental disorder.

In the EU, mental health problems affected an estimated 84 million people (one in six) in 2019, and those figures have worsened since. Data on mental health collected at national level are not always comparable, as the survey instruments used to measure anxiety, for instance, differ between countries; moreover, some surveys have small sample sizes or exhibit differences in the openness of populations to discussing their mental state. Eurostat issues the ‘Health in the European Union – facts and figures‘ online publication and provides data on public health. The European Commission has announced its intention to strengthen data collection on mental health, notably through the European health interview survey, allowing for better comparability across the EU.

According to a 2023 survey on mental health, 46 % of respondents have experienced an emotional or psychosocial problem, such as feeling depressed or anxious, in the past 12 months; 54 % of respondents with a mental health issue have not received help from a professional.

In 2022, EU hospitals had 321 500 psychiatric care beds, accounting for 14 % of all hospital beds. In 2021, in the 24 EU countries for which data were available, 3.1 million in‑patients with mental and behavioural disorders were discharged from hospitals.

Several drivers are at play. Stress at work can impact employees’ mental health, with an estimated 27 % of workers in the EU suffering from stress, depression or anxiety in 2022. A September 2025 study commissioned by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Citizens, Equality and Culture examines how structural labour market inequalities affect women’s mental health in the EU.

The COVID-19 pandemic put additional pressure on mental health, particularly among young people. An increased state of loneliness can be observed among younger generations, sometimes leading to suicide: 5 017 young people aged 15 to 29 years died in 2022 in the EU as a result of intentional self-harm.

Furthermore, a 2025 study published by the WHO Regional Office for Europe shows the complex and multifaceted relationship between social media use and mental health. Problematic social media and gaming use among adolescents is on the rise: in 2024, 11 % of adolescents showed signs of problematic social media behaviour and gaming, struggling to control their use and experiencing negative consequences; 34 % of adolescents played digital games daily, with 22 % playing for at least four hours on days when they engage in gaming.

EU action on mental health

Policies and services addressing mental health are the individual Member States’ responsibility. Article 168 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union provides the legal basis for EU action in the field of health. The EU complements national policies while also fostering cooperation between Member States (notably through projects under the Horizon Europe and EU4Health programmes).

In June 2023, the European Commission adopted a communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health, adding another pillar to the European health union. According to that new approach, EU action will focus on three guiding principles: every EU citizen should have access to adequate and effective prevention, have access to high-quality and affordable mental healthcare and treatment, and be able to reintegrate into society after recovery. The cross-sectoral approach recognises that mental health involves many policy areas, from education and employment to digitalisation, research, environment and climate. The communication’s 20 flagship initiatives – with financing opportunities worth €1.23 billion under the EU’s long-term budget, the 2021‑2027 multiannual financial framework (MFF) – support Member States and stakeholders in their actions promoting good mental health, helping those most in need and vulnerable groups (e.g. children, young people, the elderly, victims of gender-based violence, homeless people, migrants and refugee populations). The Expert Group on Public Health advises the Commission on the implementation of the flagship initiatives, and the Commission provides regular updates on their implementation.

On 20 June 2025, the Council of the EU called for greater efforts to protect the mental health of children and teenagers in the digital era, by promoting the safe and healthy use of digital tools, and by creating a healthier, safer and more age-appropriate digital environment.

The European Parliament has consistently supported the promotion of good mental health and the need to put mental health at the heart of EU policymaking (e.g. July 2022 resolution on mental health in the digital world of work; December 2023 resolution on mental health).

In May 2025, Parliament debated ways to improve mental health at work with Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President of the Commission and Commissioner for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness. MEPs stressed prevention (rather than just treatment), awareness-raising and employer responsibility as key to achieving progress. Among other issues,they urged the Commission to propose minimum requirements for telework; legislation on psychosocial risks and wellbeing at work; and a long-term, comprehensive and integrated European mental health strategy, linking employment, health, social inclusion and equality policies.

Read this ‘at a glance’ note on ‘World Mental Health Day: 10 October 2025‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

In today’s edition: Ursula von der Leyen’s Commission faces two censure votes in Parliament, both expected to fail, Friedrich Merz comes under pressure as car industry chiefs arrive in Berlin for a major summit, the new US ambassador to the EU says Brussels and Washington are ‘aligned’ on China, and two days of frantic consultations lay bare the fragility of Emmanuel Macron’s presidency

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Council adopts its negotiating position on the amended measuring instruments directive.

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