Resolution on summer time arrangements

Author (Corporate)
Series Title
Series Details 2017/2968(RSP)
Publication Date 08/02/2018
Content Type

Background information:

Twice a year the clocks in all EU Member States are switched back by one hour from summer to wintertime (on the last Sunday in October) and forward one hour from winter to summertime (on the last Sunday in March).

The decision on the standard time ('normal time' or 'winter time') falls within the competence of Member States. Most Member States introduced summer time in the 1970s, although some had started applying it much earlier for varying lengths of time. Since the 1980s the EU legislator, i.e. the Member States and the European Parliament, have adopted several directives harmonising step by step the varying summer-time arrangements. The main idea was to provide a stable, long-term planning which is important for the proper functioning of certain economic sectors requires, especially as regards transport.

+ Directive 2000/84/EC on summer-time arrangements

The European Parliament's plenary session approved a Resolution on 8 February 2018 calling on the European Commission to conduct a thorough assessment of the summer-time arrangements directive and, if necessary, to table a proposal to revise it.

Source Link http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil-mobile/fiche-procedure/2017/2968(RSP)
Related Links
EurActiv, 09.02.18: Parliament doesn’t want to turn back time anymore https://www.euractiv.com/section/health-consumers/news/parliament-doesnt-want-to-turn-back-time-anymore/
European Parliament: Press Release, 08.02.18: Parliament calls for thorough assessment of bi-annual time change www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20180202IPR97038/
BBC News, 08.02.18: European Union orders review of daylight saving time http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-42997518
Deutsche Welle, 08.02.18: European Parliament votes for review of daylight saving time http://p.dw.com/p/2sMs8
Politico, 08.02.18: MEPs back review into scrapping daylight-saving time https://www.politico.eu/article/meps-back-review-into-scrapping-daylight-saving-time/
YLE News, 08.02.18: Finland faces setback in push to abolish Daylight Saving Time https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/finland_faces_setback_in_push_to_abolish_daylight_saving_time/10066676
Euronews, 09.02.18: Europe set to review daylight saving time over clock change safety fears http://www.euronews.com/2018/02/09/europe-set-to-review-daylight-saving-time-over-clock-change-safety-fears
RTÉ, 08.02.18: MEPs vote to review Daylight Saving Time across the EU https://www.rte.ie/news/2018/0208/939344-clocks-eu-parliament/
The Local.se, 01.02.18: Sweden agrees to consider ditching daylight saving time https://www.thelocal.se/20180201/sweden-agrees-to-consider-ditching-daylight-saving-time
EPRS: Blog: Wintertime: why change the clocks? http://www.europeansources.info/record/wintertime-why-change-the-clocks/

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