End of moving watches? The EC will try again

The European Commission has announced on Thursday that it would perform a new proposal to lift the seasonal change of time. Until now, member countries were unable to decide whether to stay with summer or winter time.

The Polish presidency has returned to talks on this subject among the member countries.

The seasonal change of time was one of the topics of the meeting of ministers responsible for transport, organized on Thursday in Luxembourg.

“I am deeply convinced that the time has come for 27 EU Member States to make a decision to stop these changes in time twice a year,” said Apostolos Dzidzikostas Transport Commissioner after meeting ministers.

“We agreed during the meeting that the EC would conduct the examination and return to the Council with specific proposals based on specific facts,” he declared.

At the end of April, the Polish presidency carried out working consultations among member states in the EU Council. After the EC's proposal from 2018 stuck in a sting point, it was about checking whether continuing work on this topic made sense and whether there is a chance to agree between Member States.

In its proposal from 2018, the EC left to the decision of the states whether to stay with winter or summer time. This meant that EU members could not reach an agreement, because depending on the geographical location, countries have divergent preferences.

Social consultations carried out in 2018 by the EC showed that total 84 percent Europeans want to abolish the change of time. A year later, similar studies were carried out in Poland by CBOS – then 74 percent. Poles declared that he would like to stay with summer time.

From Brussels Magdalena Cedro (PAP)

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