The time change sucks. This measure invented during the First World War, and taken up in Europe during the oil crises of the 1970s to save energy, represents an obligation for the Member States of the European Union, formalized by a 2001 directive. On the night of Saturday October 29 to Sunday October 30, like our neighbours, we will once again set our clocks back one hour.
However, in recent years, the effectiveness of this measure has been seriously questioned and EU institutions have proposed to stop changing the time twice a year. But several factors have considerably delayed the adoption of this symbolic reform.
The abandonment of the time change in Europe was the subject of a public consultation between July and August 2018. During this vast survey (4.6 million respondents across the 28 Member States of the time) , 84% of voters were in favor of this reform recalls the European Commission on its website. This survey also showed that the change of time every six months was seen as an experience “negative” even “very negative” by 76% of participants. Increase in the number of road accidents, energy savings deemed insignificant, consequences on human health: the grievances expressed against the time change were numerous at the time.
In September 2018, the European Commission has proposed a directive aimed at abolishing the time change and harmonizing time zones within the EU. This text was adopted by the Members of the European Parliament in March 2019, before the crucial stage of interinstitutional negotiations in October of the same year. But judging by the roadmap available on the Parliament’s websitethese negotiations have been at a standstill for three years.
Among the reasons given to explain the delay, include the management of the Covid-19 pandemic, then the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union (voted in 2016, effective since January 1, 2021). “There are a bandwidth problem, explained to Euronews (article in English) Swedish MEP Jakop Dalunde, close to the file. The political system cannot manage everything at once (…) and, currently, Europe is very busy.”
the gigantic European post-Covid-19 recovery plan and the Russian invasion of Ukraine since February 24 have largely captured European authorities. No timetable has yet been set for the resumption of work on time zones within the EU.
Summer time or winter time? Not all the players agree on the schedule that should be adopted in the event of the end of the system. To guide European decision-makers, more than 70 public health organizations signed the Barcelona Convention on working hours policies in October 2021. The latter proposes a redivision of Europe into four zones, which would see, for example, Germany, Switzerland and Italy separate from France and Benelux, placing themselves one hour apart.
This possible change in European time zones worries some economic players. Apprehensions relate mainly to trade and the European common market, which could suffer – at least the transition time – of a new timetable for the EU. These debates mixing time change and economy are not limited to Europe. In the United States, for example, the question frequently divides senators, reports Politico on his site (article in English)and the discussions are sometimes heated.
Will these economic partners accept such an upheaval? The vagueness remains, and the recent declarations of the European Commission do not provide more details on this subject. “It is up to each Member State to decide which legal time it wishes to adopt”explained the institution to Euronews – stressing in passing that these choices should ideally take into account national consultations and dialogue between neighboring countries. Enough to make the debates last a good while longer.