Abstract
Prevention of mental illness and mental health promotion activities across Europe have gathered some pace since the launch of the European Union's Pact for Mental Health and Well-Being in 2008. Within the context of a large treatment gap in mental health and limited resources to meet the high demand for mental healthcare, a concerted effort is now needed to ensure that initiatives in both mental illness prevention and mental health promotion become a fundamental part of where we are educated, work and live. Cost-effective, evidence-based approaches in prevention and promotion make these initiatives more accessible.