The EU may cancel the clock change: what is known about the decision
Kyiv • UNN
The European Commission plans to withdraw the draft directive on the abolition of seasonal clock changes due to the lack of consensus in the Council of the EU. The final decision is expected in a few months.
The European Commission has decided to withdraw its 2018 draft directive on the abolition of seasonal clock changes. This is currently only a proposal, not a final decision, UNN writes with reference to RMF24.
Due to the ongoing deadlock in the EU Council, the European Commission has decided to withdraw its application
According to the spokesperson, the withdrawal of the 2018 draft directive, which was to abolish the bi-annual time changes, was included in a package of simplifications to EU regulations.
This refers to the so-called Omnibus, the flagship project of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to reduce EU bureaucracy. Now both the European Parliament and the EU Council can express their proposals for the withdrawal of this directive.
They should be sent to the EC in the form of letters within a few months. The European Commission assures that it will take them into account before making a final decision.
We will carefully consider their opinion before making a decision on the withdrawal of the proposed bill
In her opinion, the final decision of the EC will be made within a few months.
Addition
The issue of time changes has been going on for seven years. The draft on the abolition of time changes was presented in 2018, when the EC was headed by Jean-Claude Juncker. It was a response to citizens' appeals and public consultations.
The project was quickly supported by the European Parliament, but it stalled in the EU Council and has been gathering dust for more than five years, as the 27 countries could not decide whether to switch permanently to summer or winter time.
Southern European countries showed little interest in this initiative, unlike Central and Eastern European countries (Germany, Poland), which would most like to abandon the time change.
Recall
After a long break, scientists relaunched the "Doomsday Clock". It was moved by one second. It now shows 89 seconds to midnight.
The clock has not been moved since 2023. Then the scientists changed its hands by as much as 10 seconds closer to the "abyss". The main reasons: nuclear threats from the Russians and the coronavirus.
