Joint report by the Commission and the Council on social inclusion

The report assesses progress made in the implementation of the open method of coordination, sets key priorities for urgent action and identifies good practice and innovative approaches of common interest to the Member States. It aims at promoting more ambitious and effective policy strategies for social inclusion through mutual learning. It draws extensively from the National Action Plans for social inclusion 2003-2005, that all Member States submitted in July 2003. The document has dedicated chapters for health and for culture.
Although explicit references about the link between healthcare and culture are not made, social inclusion is correlated to mental health and well-being, as well as to access to culture. One of the key prioritiesof the joint report was to increase the access of the most vulnerable and those most at risk of social exclusion to decent housing conditions, to quality health and long term care services and to special and regular mainstream lifelong learning opportunities, including to cultural activities. The Joint Report on social inclusion was adopted by the Council (EPSCO) on 4 March 2004.