Why the EU is set to end twice a year clock changes

It could be summer time all year long for countries in the European Union.
The European Commission has decided it will push the EU Parliament and member states to ditch the system of twice-yearly changes to the time following a citizens consultation. Picture: PixabayThe European Commission has decided it will push the EU Parliament and member states to ditch the system of twice-yearly changes to the time following a citizens consultation. Picture: Pixabay
The European Commission has decided it will push the EU Parliament and member states to ditch the system of twice-yearly changes to the time following a citizens consultation. Picture: Pixabay

The European Commission has decided it will push the EU Parliament and member states to ditch the system of twice-yearly changes to the time following a citizens’ consultation.

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said if that is what the people want, “we will make it happen”.


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EU transport commissioner Violeta Bulc said 84% of the 4.6 million people who took part in the consultation “do not want the clocks to change anymore”.

Participation among member states varied widely, with 3.79% of Germans taking part compared to 0.02% of Britons.

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But Mr Juncker said it would make no sense to disregard people’s wishes, indicating the European Commission proposal would go in that direction.

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The European Parliament and EU member states would still need to approve the ending of the time change, and could impose further changes to the time system and, for example, decide whether it would be constant summer or winter.

Since 1996, the EU nations have moved the clock forward by one hour in March and back again in October.

It was harmonised across the bloc to meet concerns of the transport and logistics sectors in the single market. There are three standard time zones in the EU.