As Europe prepares to adjust to winter time, politicians in Brussels are rehashing the decades-old debate on whether to scrap Daylight Saving Time.
On Sunday, 26 October at 3 am, the clocks in Belgium will go back one hour, marking the end of ‘summer time’.
The seasonal time change was first introduced in Europe to conserve energy during the First World War. The idea was later revived during the Second World War and again in the 1970s amid the oil crisis, with Belgium embracing it since 1977.
An EU directive on the issue entered into force in 2001, formalising the biannual time change in March and October across Member States.
Since then, the seasonal time switch has become increasingly controversial.
‘No longer makes sense’
Ahead of this week’s clock change, the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, announced on Monday that Spain would push for the end of Daylight Saving Time.
“Changing the time twice a year no longer makes sense. It barely helps save energy and has a negative impact on people's health and lives,” he said in a post on X.
His concerns are echoed by Belgian MEP Saskia Bricmont, who told The Brussels Times that several studies have indicated that the “effect of summer-time arrangements is marginal” in terms of saving energy.
In addition, she pointed to an analysis by Stanford University scientists, which notes that the time change disrupts sleeping patterns, which can contribute to mental and physical health issues, ranging from depression to strokes.
The majority wants out
While the debate was reignited this week in Brussels, ending the seasonal clock change is not a new idea. In 2018, the European Commission proposed a new directive to scrap the biannual time change.
The proposal followed a public consultation where 84% of the 4.6 million European participants were in favour of abolishing Daylight Saving Time. In Belgium, around 83% of participants were in favour.
While the European Parliament backed the Commission’s proposal in 2019, the issue has stalled at the Council, where a qualified majority agreement between Member States is needed.
For Bricmont, taking action now is necessary to ensure the EU responds to its citizens.
"As each clock change reignites the debate, we could put an end to this issue if the Member States finally decided to follow the opinion of the 84% of Europeans (including 83% of Belgians) who no longer want to change the time," she said.
Portugal was among the Member States that were hesitant to back the idea in 2018. The then-Portuguese Prime Minister, António Costa, opposed putting an end to the seasonal time change, citing a lack of scientific evidence that it would be beneficial.
Clock is ticking
On Thursday, the matter was addressed at the European Parliament by the Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas.
“With today’s technology and digitalisation, this system no longer produces any energy savings, not for any sector. The seasonal time change has become a source of unnecessary complication for society,” said Tzitzikostas.
The Commissioner was followed by several MEPs who denounced the issue’s deadlock in the Council.
Speaking to The Brussels Times, a spokesperson for the Commission said that the institution believed that “a coordinated solution” is still achievable.
While Member States are yet to find a common position in the council, a new study on the matter is “expected to be launched soon” to help with the decision-making, according to the Commission’s spokesperson.
