EU Council Adopts Landmark Conclusions on Mental Health and Digital Safety for Children and Adolescents

On 20 June 2025, the Council of the European Union adopted new conclusions urging stronger action to safeguard the mental health of children and adolescents amid growing concerns over the impact of the digital environment. The initiative, led by the Polish Presidency, recognises both the opportunities and risks posed by digitalisation and calls on EU Member States and the European Commission to create safer, healthier, and more age-appropriate digital spaces for young people.

“In a world where the digital landscape is constantly shifting, protecting the mental health of our children is not a choice — it’s a duty,” said Poland’s Minister for Health, Izabela Leszczyna. “We must act with clarity and compassion to shield the youngest minds from harm and empower them to thrive online and beyond.”

Key Recommendations

The conclusions include a range of actions designed to both mitigate risks and harness the potential of digital tools for well-being:

  • Safer digital design: Encourage digital service providers to embed safety and privacy protections from the outset, particularly for services likely to be accessed by minors.

  • Cross-sector collaboration: Involve digital platforms, policymakers, youth workers, educators, families, and children themselves in designing a digital environment that supports mental health.

  • Delayed digital exposure: Promote awareness of the benefits of delaying or gradually introducing digital tools to children, ensuring that use is age-appropriate and balanced.

  • Digital and media literacy: Launch campaigns to equip children and adolescents with critical thinking skills and the tools to navigate online threats such as cyberbullying, manipulation, and disinformation.

  • Robust reporting systems: Strengthen mechanisms to report inappropriate or harmful content, and provide resources to support those affected by online exploitation and abuse.

Risks and Opportunities

The Council acknowledges that digital technologies can support children’s mental health by facilitating access to support, therapy, education, and peer connection, particularly for those in remote or underserved areas. However, the same tools also carry risks, including:

  • Excessive screen time and digital overexposure

  • Cyberbullying and harassment

  • Exposure to harmful or age-inappropriate content

  • Online gambling and access to illicit substances

  • Data privacy violations and lack of informed consent

  • Social isolation and reduced in-person interaction

In its 2023 Communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health, the European Commission had already identified these challenges and called for a coordinated EU response. The Council’s conclusions build on this momentum and complement existing legislative efforts, including the Digital Services Act, Audiovisual Media Services Directive, and Artificial Intelligence Act.

A Timely Response to a Growing Challenge

The conclusions follow a series of high-level meetings throughout 2025, including the informal meeting of EU health ministers in March and the high-level conference on youth mental health and digitalisation in April, both convened under the Polish Presidency.

GAMIAN-Europe strongly welcomes this development and supports the Council’s call for more inclusive, protective, and empowering digital environments.

GAMIAN-Europe therefore continues to call for concrete EU action to:

  • Establish a strong and coherent EU-wide strategy on mental health, building on the 2023 Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health.

  • Ensure sustained EU funding for mental health through programmes like EU4Health, Horizon Europe, and the European Social Fund+.

  • Strengthen coordination and sharing of best practices between Member States via EU platforms, joint actions, and soft law tools such as recommendations and communications.

  • Integrate mental health across all relevant EU policies, including digital, education, employment, youth, and social inclusion.

  • Improve EU-level data collection and monitoring to support evidence-based policies and track progress on mental health outcomes.

  • Lead by example—fostering mentally healthy workplaces within EU institutions and promoting mental health in global and external actions.

📄 Read the official Council conclusions here: Council document ST 9069/2025 INIT (PDF)

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