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The end of the time change, twice a year, is far from becoming legislation. Not only is there no understanding between the member states of the European Union, responsible for making a decision, but the negotiation of 27 has not been on the agenda for more than a year and it may not return soon, the Expresso finds out.
The proposal was presented by the European Commission in 2018, after a public consultation carried out in all Member States in which the vast majority of respondents (84%) were in favor of ending seasonal time changes, and subsequently , also, a resolution of the European Parliament (EP).
Furthermore, MEPs were the only ones who supported the Commission’s proposal. In March 2019 they voted in favor of ending the time change in 2021, with 410 votes in favor, 192 against and 51 abstentions. If only the European Parliament decided, this Sunday would be the last time that the clocks would advance one hour for the countries that chose to stay on daylight saving time. Those who chose winter time would set the clocks again on the last Sunday in October 2021. But the decision also depends on the Council and the governments of the 27 have never reached an understanding.
A date was also set (April 1, 2020) for each Member State to decide whether it wanted to stay in summer or winter, but that deadline would end up being ineffective.
Asked by Expresso about it, a Commission spokesman reiterated that “the ball is on the side of the Member States and it is up to them to reach a common position in the Council.”
Except that on the part of the Council there is no indication or desire to address the issue. The issue was under discussion among the Member States in 2018 and 2019, during the Austrian, Romanian and Finnish presidencies, but it has not been achieved anywhere. The issue has not been addressed for more than a year and, according to a source in the Portuguese presidency of the Council of the EU, it is not a priority for the current semester either.
In 2018, the Portuguese Prime Minister, António Costa, said, based on a recommendation of the report made by the Lisbon Astronomical Observatory, in August 2018, that seasonal changes will be maintained. Three years later, this is still the position of Portugal, which is why the Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing made the Expresso understood, in reference to these statements by the Prime Minister.
The Portuguese Sleep Association defends the abolition of the time change
This Friday, the Portuguese Sleep Association (APS) issued a statement defending the abolition of time changes and the permanence in the winter schedule, which, according to several “studies, has beneficial effects on physical and psychological health”, with “Possible socio-positive effects “. economic repercussions ”. Daylight saving time, by contrast, “has several short-term problems: shorter sleep, poorer performance at work and school, and a higher frequency of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and road accidents.” In the long term, says the association, “there is a greater propensity for cancer, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer’s), reduced immunity and psychopathological compromise.”
Also according to the APS, “the sleep of children, adolescents and young people is also affected by the daily advance of one hour, and it may be difficult for some children to fall asleep while it is still day, aggravating the tendency to lie down.” later during adolescence; consequent tendency to reduce nighttime sleep time during school days and increase compensation on weekends ”. As for the energy saving argument that has already been used to maintain time changes, “it has not proven to have sufficient weight to counteract the negative effects of the annual increase of one hour for at least seven months of the year.”
This Sunday the time changes
This Sunday, March 28, the time changes again. The hands of the clock will move forward 60 minutes in mainland Portugal and in the archipelagos of Madeira and the Azores for daylight saving time. The time will change again on October 31, in this case for the winter regime.
The current time change regime is regulated by a directive (Community law) of 2000, which establishes that clocks are advanced every hour and delayed one hour on the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October, respectively, marking the beginning and the end. summer time.
