Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001992/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Katri Kulmuni (Renew)
On 12 September 2018, the Commission brought forward a proposal for a directive on discontinuing seasonal changes of time (2018/0332/COD). On 26 March 2019, the European Parliament adopted a legislative resolution on the matter by 410 votes to 192. In a Commission survey of 4.6 million EU citizens, 84 % were in favour of stopping clock changes. No progress has been made, however, because the Council of Ministers has failed to take the matter into consideration.
Changing the clocks is not only bothersome for people: it has also been found to have adverse effects on many people’s health and, for example, on livestock sector. The practice of changing the clocks was originally justified in order to save energy, but it doesn’t seem appropriate nowadays. Although this may not be one of the most pressing issues at the moment, it would be beneficial for the credibility of EU decision-making to implement a change that has already been decided and is relatively simple to put in place.
In the light of the above, is the Commission intending to take steps either to abolish regulation on clock changes in the EU entirely, or to give Member States the power to decide on the matter for themselves?
Submitted: 19.5.2025