European Parliament adopts position on the ESF+ and its health strand

On 16th January, the European Parliament adopted its position on the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) which integrates the current European Social Fund and the Health Programme. The ESF+ is the main financial instrument to strengthen Europe’s social dimension for the 2021-2027 period. It aims to encourage and support the promotion of equal opportunities, non-discrimination, and social inclusion by committing ‘to leave no one behind’.

In its position paper and through its advocacy efforts, MHE called on the EU to include mental health and well-being in the ESF+, urther promote the transition from institutional to community-based care  and to fully integrate the rights of persons with disabilities in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD)

MHE is pleased to see that the European Parliament included most of our proposals by adding a recital on the importance of mental health (see recital 36a) and a recital on the importance of the UN CRPD (see recital 28). The text adopted by the European Parliament also states that civil society organisations should meaningfully participate in the delivery of ESF+-funded actions (Amendment 94).

MHE however regrets that mental health is not explicitly mentioned in the core text of the proposal of the regulation.

Now that the European Parliament has formulated its position on the ESF+, the Council of the EU will also have to adopt a position. Negotiations on the final form of the text will then be able to start. MHE will continue its advocacy efforts to ensure mental health is included among the priorities of the final text.