MEPs back proposal to end switch between summer and winter time in 2021
Text adopted is Parliament’s position for negotiations with EU ministers on final wording of the rules.
27 Martie 2019, 14:46
European Parliament voted to end the practice of adjusting clocks by an hour in spring and autumn, from 2021. EU countries that decide to keep their summer time should make their final clock change on the last Sunday in March 2021. Those that prefer to keep their standard (winter) time can adjust their clocks for the final time on the last Sunday in October 2021, says draft law approved by MEPs with 410 in favour,192 against, 51 abstentions. MEPs already backed Commission proposal to end seasonal time changes, but voted to postpone date from 2019 to 2021.
Protecting the single market
MEPs also want EU countries and the Commission to coordinate decisions to ensure that application of summer time in some countries and winter time in others does not disrupt the internal market. If the Commission finds that foreseen time arrangements could significantly and permanently hamper the proper functioning of the single market, it may submit a proposal to postpone the date of application of the Directive by a maximum of 12 months, says adopted text.
Background
Responding to citizens’ initiatives, in February 2018, Parliament called on the Commission to assess the Summer time arrangements directive and, if necessary, present a proposal for the Directive to be revised. Following assessment - which received 4.6 million responses, of which 84% were in favour of ending the clock changes - Commission tabled the proposal, which will now need to be agreed upon between the Parliament and EU ministers. EU first unified the summer time arrangements in 1980, in order to ensure a harmonised approach to time switching within the single market, as until then, national summer time practices and schedules were diverging. Current summer time arrangements directive requires EU countries to switch to summer time on the last Sunday of March and back to standard time on the last Sunday of October.
Next steps
Text adopted is Parliament’s position for negotiations with EU ministers on the final wording of the rules.
Source:European Parliament Press Service
