The Council of Europe has officially adopted a new Recommendation respecting a person's right to make their own decisions in mental health care. This decision is a major step forward. It aligns mental health policies with international human rights standards and marks a clear move away from outdated, forced treatments and practices where people have no say.

EASPD, alongside a broad coalition of civil society organizations, applauds this decision in a joint statement. The Recommendation places individual choice, informed consent, and respect for personal wishes at the very centre of mental health care. In doing so, it adopts the core principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). This shifts the focus toward a rights-based, person-centred approach, where people are active participants in their own care.

Moving from policy to action

While adopting this Recommendation is a major milestone, its success depends entirely on how it is put into practice. We are now calling on Council of Europe Member States to turn these principles into real action through legislative and policy reforms, investments in community-based services and meaningful inclusion of people with lived experiences in these processes.

This is essential to ensure that autonomy and human rights are not just recognised on paper but fully realised in everyday practice.