Summer time started: EU remains in the time change trap!

Summer time started: EU remains in the time change trap!

Österreich - On March 29, 2025, Central European summer time (CEST) begins. In Austria, the clocks were introduced on the last Sunday in March at 2:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m., which made the night shorter. This half -year change from normal time to summer time causes resentment for many people, since the discussion about the abolition of the time change in the European Union continues. Unconsciousness remain because the EU Council of Ministers has not yet made a decision. The majority of the European Parliament had already voted in March 2019 for the abolition of summer time until 2021 or a year later in the event of difficulties for the internal market. However, the member states are in demand to agree on this proposal, which has not yet been done. OE24 reports .

In the night of Central European summer time, the watches are presented, although a draft law to abolish the time change remains on the EU agenda. An EU commissioner had previously stated that the proposal had been withdrawn; However, this statement was later corrected by another spokeswoman. The draft for abolition has been blocked in EU legislation for seven years. EU MPs regularly demand the end of the time change and some countries favor permanent summer time, while others exist on winter. Tagesschau supplements .

health concerns and different opinions

Surveys show that the time change is unpopular in many European countries. An online survey by the EU Commission from 2018 showed that 84 percent of the participants are to abolish the time change; The majority of supporters spoke out for a permanent summer time. The reasons for the abolition include health impairments, an increased number of traffic accidents and low energy savings. This survey was not representative, but 4.6 million people took part, including three million Germans. BR informed .

The EU Commission has been demanding coordinated action for years, but the Transport Minister of the EU countries who are responsible for the time change have not yet agreed on a uniform regulation. The last joint talks took place in 2019, without a tangible result being achieved. Various member states have had complex challenges in recent years, such as Corona pandemic or the Ukraine conflict. Their inactivity is often given as the reason for the delay in dealing with the time change.

The uncertainty about the future regulation remains. An end to the time change would have different effects on the individual regions of Europe. The EU Commission wants to avoid a patchwork of different time zones in order not to burden the economy and traffic. Many citizens still have to change their watches twice a year, which contributes to dissatisfaction among the population.