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DRAFT OPINION (COM(2018)0639 – C80408/2018 – 2018/0332(COD))

On the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on discontinuing seasonal changes of time and repealing Directive 2000/84/EC

PETI-PA-629635

Committee on Petitions · Rapporteur: Cecilia Wikström

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The Committee on Petitions gives its opinion on the Commission proposal to end seasonal clock changes in the EU and repeal Directive 2000/84/EC. It says the bi-annual clock change should end in a coordinated way, because of health concerns and because the expected energy savings are not achieved. To avoid a patchwork of time zones in the internal market, it proposes making summer-time the new standard time in all Member States. It tables amendments to the proposal's recitals and articles to that effect, including a start date of 31 March 2019.

Committee position. The Committee on Petitions supports ending the bi-annual clock change in a coordinated way and proposes making summer-time the new standard time in all Member States, to avoid a patchwork of time zones in the internal market. It tables amendments to the proposal's recitals and articles to that effect.

Key points

  1. The proposal aims to end seasonal changes of time in the Member States, replacing Directive 2000/84/EC, which obliges switches on the last Sunday of March and October.
  2. The bi-annual clock change has been questioned by citizens, Parliament and a growing number of Member States.
  3. A Commission public consultation received around 4.6 million replies, of which 84% favoured discontinuing the clock changes and 16% wanted to keep them.
  4. The Committee on Petitions has received more than 100 related petitions, almost all seeking abolition of the clock changes, mainly on health grounds and because of limited energy savings.
  5. The draft opinion says negative health effects should be taken into account and cites chronobiological research on the body clock.
  6. The rapporteur argues the Commission proposal, letting Member States decide unilaterally, could create a patchwork of time zones and complicate cross-border trade, transport, communication and travel.
  7. The rapporteur proposes introducing summer-time as the new standard time across the Union, citing citizens' and businesses' preference in the consultation.
  8. Longer evening daylight is said to increase outdoor activity and benefit the health and wellbeing of adults and children.
  9. Amendment 4 adds a recital to end the bi-annual change in a coordinated way and establish summer-time as the new standard time in all Member States.
  10. Amendment 5 deletes the recital letting Member States decide their standard time and notify the Commission of changes.
  11. Amendments 8, 9, 10 and 12 set the new standard time as summer-time from 1.00 a.m. on 31 March 2019 and delete the option of a seasonal change in 2019.
  12. Amendment 11 deletes Article 2, which required Member States to notify the Commission of standard-time changes and the Commission to inform other Member States.

Who is affected

  • Member States, which would stop changing clocks seasonally and use summer-time as their new standard time.
  • Citizens, especially vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly, cited as particularly affected by clock changes.
  • Businesses and stakeholders, whose consultation responses showed a preference for permanent summer-time.
  • Cross-border trade, transport, communication and travel, which the rapporteur says could be disrupted by diverging time arrangements.

Figures and deadlines

  • Around 4.6 million replies to the Commission's public consultation on summertime arrangements.
  • 84% of consultation replies in favour of discontinuing the bi-annual clock changes; 16% wanted to keep them.
  • More than 100 subject-related petitions received by the Committee on Petitions over the years.
  • The online public consultation ran from 4 July 2018 to 16 August 2018.
  • The last summer-time period under Directive 2000/84/EC should start at 1.00 a.m. Coordinated Universal Time on 31 March 2019.
  • The new standard time period would apply at 1.00 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time as from 31 March 2019.
  • Summer-time is defined as clocks being put forward by 60 minutes compared with the rest of the year.

Legal basis: Article 114 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.