The transport Committee of the EU Parliament has voted in favour of abolishing the time change from the year 2024. 23 members voted in Brussels in favour, eleven against. Abstentions, there were no.
About that in the future, no more twice a year the clock is changed, there is at the EU level, largely in Agreement. The dispute, however, about the specific point in time. The EU Commission had originally planned, in 2019, the member States requested, however, significantly more preparation time.
“patchwork of different time zones” prevent
One Problem is the so far lack of coordination between the EU countries. According to the Plan of the EU Commission, each country can decide in which time zone, it remains permanently: So would it be possible that, for instance, Germany decides otherwise, as the neighbours Belgium or France – and the countries would then be in different time zones.
{}
to prevent a “patchwork of different time zones in Europe”, requested by the EU Council in December more time. The then Austrian presidency of the Council brought in 2024 in the game. An agreement on a common Position of the future 27 member States, however, remained.
the European Parliament will decide by the end of March
Four bodies of the EU Parliament spoke out in the past few weeks for a more ambitious time plan: Agriculture, industry, internal market and public health Committee voted in favour of abolishing the time change already in the next year.
The plenary meeting of the Parliament is expected to the end of March, finally, on the question to the vote. The negotiations with the member States, however, can only begin once they have agreed on a common position.
{}
