Commission President von der Leyen replies to PAREA and MEPs on EU mental health innovation
European Commission's President Ursula von der Leyen has responded to a joint letter sent by PAREA and Members of the European Parliament Action Group on Psychedelics in Healthcare, represented by MEP Tilly Metz. The letter focused on the importance of mental health innovation in upcoming EU funding and competitiveness priorities, with a key ask to launch an EU Mental Health Moonshot.
Although the reply does not commit to specific proposals, such as the Moonshot, it is significant that the Commission chose to engage and explicitly linked mental health innovation to the ongoing negotiations regarding the EU Competitiveness Fund, valued at €410 billion, and the next Horizon Europe R&I programme, which has a proposed budget of €175 billion.
As the Commission's President notes in the reply, "the proposals for the European Competitiveness Fund and the next Horizon Europe are currently being negotiated in the context of the next multiannual financial framework". This confirms that the window for influence remains open; these programmes are still being shaped, and priorities are still being established.
This is why sustained engagement is crucial. Mental health innovation risks being treated as secondary unless it is consistently advocated for, supported by evidence, and maintained on the political agenda.
PAREA’s work was also highlighted in POLITICO’s Europe health coverage and in this dedicated article, helping give this issue the visibility it needs.
We are particularly grateful to MEP Tilly Metz, vice-chair of the EU Parliament health committee, who ranked among the top three most influential MEPs in 2025, for her ongoing and serious commitment to mental health and for recognizing the therapeutic potential of psychedelics within a regulated healthcare framework. Her role in championing these topics and keeping them visible in Parliament is invaluable!
The next phase will focus on follow-through, and this is where PAREA will remain engaged in 2026.
