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Action programmes fostering partnerships and bringing together regional and national authorities to promote the care of depressed patients are urgently needed. In 2001 the ‘Nuremberg Alliance Against Depression’ was initiated as a community-based model project within the large-scale ‘German Research Network on Depression and Suicidality’ (Kompetenznetz ‘Depression, Suizidalität’). The ‘Nuremberg Alliance Against Depression’ was an action programme, conducted in the city of Nuremberg (500,000 inhabitants) in 2001/2002, addressing four intervention levels (Hegerl et al. Psychol Med 2006;36:1225). Based on the positive results of the Nuremberg project (a significant reduction of suicidal behaviour by more than 20%) 18 international partners representing 16 different European countries established the ‘European Alliance Against Depression’ (EAAD) in 2004. Based on the four-level approach of the …