European Parliament approves proposal to end bi-annual clock change

[OnDoutside]

Not 100% definite to happen but a good news step (as long as they keep the Summer time !).

Changing the clocks every summer and winter could soon be a thing of the past after the European Parliament today voted in favour of retaining the same time all-year round.

MEPs say it now puts the pressure firmly on the European Commission - which has in the past been reluctant to change the system - to implement their decision.

Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly, who has been campaigning for the change, said: "I'm very pleased that after years of discussions at Committee level in the European Parliament, of which I'm the only Irish member, that out proposal was debated and voted on today in Parliament, and that Parliament accepted our proposal to ask the European Commission to come forward with a recommendation that we would end the bi-annual clock change."

SNIP

Many believe the clock change negatively impacts on people's mental and physical health.

Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly has been pushing to end the bi-annual clock change.

"We think that there's no need to change the clocks," he said.

"It came in during World War One, it was supposed to be for energy savings - the indications are that there are very few energy savings, if any - and there are an awful lot of disadvantages to both human beings and animals that make it outdated at this point.

"We're working to try and end it."

The European Parliament's Research Service published a study on EU summer-time arrangements last October, which found that the health implications of Daylight Saving Time are "more severe" than previously thought.

"Beyond considerations on the effects, repeal of the Summer Time Directive would not automatically abolish summer time across the EU," the report stated.

"It would just end EU-wide harmonisation and bring the issue of summer time back into the competence of the member states.

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/latest-european-parliament-approves-proposal-to-end-bi-annual-clock-change-826985.html

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. The way Deutsche Welle reports it, they voted for a "review"

European Parliament members voted 384 to 153 in a non-binding resolution on Thursday to urge the European Commission to carry out a "thorough assessment" of the daylight saving time (DST) arrangements for summer time and, if necessary "come up with a proposal for its revision."

http://www.dw.com/en/european-parliament-votes-for-review-of-daylight-saving-time/a-42510308

It sounds like you want to be permanently on GMT+1 - ie centered roughly on Berlin. That'd give Dublin sunrise at about 9:40am on Dec 31st. Are you sure that's the best solution?

[OnDoutside]

2. Yes, definitely, as it would give us longer evenings. December and January

are dreadful with sunset happening from 4pm ish. I can feel the stretch in the evening already and anyone I talk to about it is delighted.