This weekend the clocks go back across Europe – but a grouping of 67 members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are saying the practice should be abolished.
Lawmakers raised concerns with the “outdated” impact of changing the clocks on sleep cycles, traffic accidents and heart attack rates.
“It is time to put an end to the biannual clock change, which has been proven to have negative effects on health, well-being, and safety,” MEP Seán Kelly (Ireland/European People’s Party) said in a statement, alongside a letter sent to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
“There is widespread agreement across the political spectrum that the clock change needs to end … it’s a practical and popular measure,” added Kelly, who’s letter is co-signed by former Estonian Prime Minister Jüri Ratas, Health Committee Chair Adam Jarubas (Poland/EPP) and MEPs from Germany, Spain and Italy, covering all of the European Parliament’s political groups.
A 2017 study carried out for the Parliament found the impacts of changing the clocks on human biorhythms are “more severe than previously thought,” while benefits or drawbacks for sectors such as agriculture are inconclusive.
In the UK and Germany, Daylight Saving Time was introduced to conserve coal during the First World War – though more recent research has found insignificant energy savings from the practice.
The practice of changing clocks to capitalise on natural daylight dates back decades, and is currently set out by a 2001 EU directive.
Under the 2001 law, the clocks go back at 1am GMT this Sunday, and every last Sunday in October, to be put forward again on the last Sunday in March.
An online consultation on the practice carried out by the Commission in 2018 generated a record 4.6 million responses, of which 84% favoured abolition of the clock change.
But von der Leyen took office the following year, then the Covid pandemic arrived, and the plans stalled.
She is due to begin her second mandate at the helm of the EU executive within weeks, and her top team of 26 Commissioners will be submitting themselves for confirmation hearings by MEPs, starting on 4 November.
Contacted by Euronews, a Commission spokesperson said that the ball was still in the court of the EU’s Council, which represents member states and hasn’t yet reached a position on the 2018 proposal.
The Commission had previously concluded that, “while avoiding fragmentation, member states are best placed to decide on whether they want to keep permanent summer- or wintertime,” the spokesperson said.
This article was updated at 14:49 to add the Commission’s comment.
