European psychiatry is characterized by increasing needs to harmonize mental healthcare – to develop psychiatry in Europe to European psychiatry.

To describe the current challenges for European mental health care practice, the ensuing demands on education in psychiatry and the necessary research areas with a view to increase the harmonization of mental health care in Europe.

To convey a picture of the recent challenges to and responses from European psychiatry.

A synoptic review of the burden of disease in Europe due to mental disorders, mental healthcare utilization, educational needs for psychiatrists and trends in psychiatric research providing avenues of addressing recent challenges.

European mental healthcare is characterized by highly differentiated mental healthcare systems facing increasing rates of utilization and demands by multiethnicity of the population. Recent economic crises are still not over and influence mental health. Trends in research aiming at understanding the etiopathogenesis of mental disorders and to elucidate the biopsychosocial pathways into mental disorders with a view to improve prevention. European Psychiatric Association has begun a continuous process of developing and publishing evidence- and consensus-based guidance recommendations for critical issues in European mental healthcare, which may help to implement common mental health care practices. Similar approaches could be useful for education and research in psychiatry.

While there are many challenges to psychiatry in Europe, the field is well positioned to address challenges and efforts to develop harmonized European psychiatry may gain impulses from programs developing recommendations for clinical practice, education and research.