Building a caring Europe: MHE joins call for an ambitious European Care Deal

9 November 2026 – Brussels, Belgium

Mental Health Europe has joined the European Care Alliance in calling for a stronger, more inclusive approach to care across Europe, placing people’s rights, wellbeing and access to quality support at its heart.

Across Europe, care systems are under growing pressure. Demographic changes, workforce shortages and rising demand for support are affecting the availability, affordability and quality of care. Meanwhile, millions of people provide unpaid care, often balancing these responsibilities with employment and family life.

With the European Commission planning to introduce a European Care Deal in 2027, Mental Health Europe and fellow signatories are calling for an ambitious, coordinated and adequately funded framework that delivers meaningful improvements for people receiving and providing care.

Why care matters for mental health

Care is about more than meeting people’s immediate needs. It is about dignity, independence, social inclusion and the ability to live fulfilling lives.

For people with mental health challenges and psychosocial disabilities, access to quality, person-centred and community-based support is essential. Equally important is recognising the wellbeing of informal carers and care workers, who often face significant pressures themselves.

A successful European Care Deal must therefore take a rights-based approach, recognise diverse care needs and ensure that support is accessible throughout people’s lives.

What are we calling for?

The joint statement outlines nine flagship initiatives to strengthen European care systems, including:

• Better working conditions, training and protection for care workers.
• Greater recognition and support for informal carers, including improved work-life balance.
• More accessible, affordable and inclusive care services.
• Stronger coordination between healthcare, social care and community support.
• Meaningful involvement of people receiving and providing care in shaping services and policies.

The alliance also calls for clear objectives, measurable progress and sustained investment through the EU’s next long-term budget.

Turning commitments into meaningful change

For Mental Health Europe, the European Care Deal represents an important opportunity to strengthen rights-based, community-focused approaches that put people and their needs first.

Better care means more than improving services. It means creating the conditions for everyone to live with dignity, autonomy and the support they need to thrive.

Together with our partners, we call on European decision-makers to ensure the European Care Deal translates these ambitions into lasting action.