EU Lawmakers Push to End Seasonal Clock Changes

European Parliament members want to end seasonal clock changes across the EU. A group of 44 lawmakers sent a letter to national transport ministers. They asked ministers to break the deadlock on the issue. Clocks turn back one hour on the last Sunday of October. This shift ends daylight saving time and grants an extra hour of sleep.

The EU required unified time changes in 2001 to prevent transport confusion. In 2018, the European Commission held a public consultation on the rule. About 4.6 million people answered the survey. 84 percent of respondents wanted to abolish the clock changes. The Commission proposed ending seasonal clock changes in September 2018.

The European Parliament supported the plan by a large majority in 2019. However, national governments in the EU Council failed to agree. Member states debated whether to keep permanent summer or winter time. They also worried about coordinating time zones between neighboring countries. German lawmaker Peter Liese spearheaded the new letter to ministers.

Liese noted that time changes cause sleep disruption and fatigue. Recent studies also question whether changing clocks actually saves energy. A new EU study on the issue will finish by year-end. Lawmakers hope this study helps ministers make a final decision soon.