Criticism of standstill during time change: “End mini-jetlag”

In 2018, EU citizens voted to end the time change. A lot of time has passed since then and – nothing happened. That causes criticism. While the EU is blocking itself, the clocks will be changed again on Sunday.

Brussels has to talk about the time change again. Because it hasn’t been abolished yet. Although that should have happened long ago – actually. In 2018, the EU Commission proposed that the change between summer and normal time should end.

In what was by far the authority’s most successful online survey, more than 80 percent of the 4.6 million participants were in favour. Mainly Germans, plus a few voices from Austria and Luxembourg. The European Parliament also supported the proposal with a large majority. What is still missing is the approval of the 27 EU countries. But they just haven’t done anything for years.

The ball is in the hands of the member states

“The last discussion took place in 2019,” says commission spokesman Adalbert Jahnz. “The ball is further in the playing field of the member states.” And that’s where it will stay for the foreseeable future. Because obviously nobody in the European capitals wants to deal with the tiresome topic.

From Berlin it is said that Europe has completely different concerns at the moment in view of the corona pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis. The CSU European politician Markus Ferber is a declared opponent of the time change and does not want to put up with the EU-Mikado:

Europe-wide coordination required

However, the matter is more complicated than expected. Because every EU country has to decide for itself whether its citizens should live permanently in summer or normal time. And that’s where the problems begin. Is there still a big time zone with 16 countries? Or do border commuters have to change the clock twice every day? What about the train and airports? Will it soon be light at 10 a.m. in Spain in winter, while it will be dark at 2:30 p.m. in Poland? questions upon questions. It’s not all that easy, but it can be solved, believes SPD MEP Ismail Ertug:

Does the EU Commission not deliver?

The countries, however, push the buck in the direction of the EU Commission. Because, according to the Czech Council Presidency, it has not provided the comprehensive impact assessment required for an end to the time change – which the Brussels authorities see very differently. Eric Mamer, spokesman for Commission President von der Leyen, takes it with humor and is happy that he can sleep an hour longer at the weekend.

And yet: The situation is muddled – and the probability that nothing will come of it is now quite high. The MEP for the Greens, Anna Deparnay-Grunenberg, also fears this and warns that the project will “slowly die”.