12. Stresses the need for clear and long-term planning for the provision of high-quality, effective, accessible and universal community and in-patient mental health services and for the adoption of criteria for monitoring by independent bodies; calls for better cooperation and communication between primary healthcare professionals and mental health professionals to deal effectively with problems associated with mental and physical health, by encouraging a holistic approach which takes into account the overall profile of individuals from the point of view of physical and mental health;

17. In accordance with section III, paragraph 19, point (i) of the IGC 2007 Mandate relating to a Protocol on services of general interest which will be annexed to the Treaties, invites the Commission to take initiatives to overcome the legal uncertainty regarding the status of services of general interest, notably the state aid and public procurement rules; welcomes the initiatives of the Commission which aim to clarify ambiguities in the fields of health services and social services of general interest in the Single Market; considers that strong and modern services of general interest are necessary in order to achieve public interest ...[+++] objectives, such as social and territorial cohesion, environmental protection and cultural diversity;

17. A directive on health services, in parallel with legislation on general interest social services, included in the objective of a framework directive on services of general economic interest therefore seems to be the only instrument that would enable the European Union to add value, which is what is needed to re-establish and increase the confidence of European citizens in an area which is absolutely central to their lives.

25. Notes that in reality it is hard to draw a clear distinction between the provision of health-care services and the provision of other social services of general interest since the providers of medical care are also often involved in the provision of purely social services; notes also that it would be appropriate to consider under the term health services the whole hospital and rehabilitation sector including ambulant treatment as well as all treatments in which medical practitioners and paramedical and nursing staff take part;

It should be identified how available Community instruments such as the Seventh Framework Programme for Research[xliii] could be used to build research capacities and to support research for mental health in the EU. Better knowledge on the relevance of mental health and the consequences of mental ill health to health, quality of life, economic and social welfare, social inclusion and fundamental rights, and to mental health services (e.g., equity, access) would allow improvement of current practice.

86. In the Uruguay Round, the Community has undertaken binding commitments for certain services of general interest (e.g. telecommunications, privately funded education, environmental, health and social and transport services).