Well-being Directive Proposal expected with great concern

In these times of crisis and general concern for the future, the European Commission has decided to take a positive approach by working on a new Directive aimed at promoting the mental and physical state of Europeans. At the moment the draft proposal is entitled “Draft Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and the Council on the personal development and well-being of European citizens and inhabitants in the framework of the EU 2020 programme” (or “Well-being Directive” for short), and is expected to go into public consultation just before summer break, to ensure all lobbyists are refrained from any feeling of well being during the summer months.

The BJ (and everyone else in Brussels, as usual) was able to have a sneak peak at the document, which contains many revolutionary principles. Aside from replacing the famous

The end of the Big Mac Index?

Big Mac Index with a Carrot & Peas Index, the report also introduces mandatory well-being requirements to be imposed on undertakings established in the EU. The recitals notably mention the use of “well-being enhancing substances” and the fact that these could be applied to employees “using either massaged or smoked practices”. This provision seems to encounter quite some resistance from other Cabinets than the Health and Consumer Policy DG, which leads on this matter. Objections include the fact that this provision seems to legalise the use of cannabis and other illegal substances, even though our contacts at DG SANCO swear they were referring to the use of incense sticks. The trade body for “Massaging Your Way Into Happiness ” (MYWIH) applauded the initiative, whilst several activists complained too much emphasis was put on industrial solutions to well-being. Once the document passes inter-service consultation, it will have to follow the co-decision procedure, which is likely to increase the amount of controversy rather than solve it. To quote a leading MEP active in the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee of the European Parliament: “we’ll make them swallow back their carrots & peas”.