Every year, millions of Europeans lose an hour of sleep when the clocks move forward. This Sunday, the ritual will happen again, as daylight saving time (DST) begins. While the time change may seem like a minor inconvenience to some, it remains a politically sensitive and unresolved issue in the European Union (EU). Despite widespread public support for ending the seasonal clock change, the debate continues to stall, leaving many frustrated.
Public Opinion and Scientific Studies
In 2018, a survey by the European Union revealed that 84% of European citizens wanted to stop the seasonal clock changes. Many Europeans find the practice inconvenient and disruptive to their lives. Scientific studies have shown that the biannual time change can have serious consequences for our health. The sudden shift in time disrupts our biological rhythms, which can lead to sleep deprivation. For some, this disruption may even worsen existing health conditions, particularly chronic illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes.
Ariadna Güell Sans, the Deputy Director at the Time Use Initiative, explained to Euronews that the original purpose of DST was to save energy. However, she argues that the practice is outdated in the modern world. “It no longer helps us save energy,” she said. “It was created in a time before the internet, when energy consumption worked differently.” In today’s world, with changes in how people use energy, the practice of adjusting the clocks no longer serves the intended purpose.
The Challenges of Ending Daylight Saving Time
Despite the clear public support and the growing body of evidence against the effectiveness of DST, the issue remains politically sensitive. A proposal to end the time change was first made by the European Commission in 2018. The European Parliament, in 2019, showed strong support for the move with a majority vote in favor: 410 votes in favor, 192 against, and 51 abstentions. This overwhelming support from the European Parliament seemed like a turning point in the debate. However, the plan has not been implemented, and the issue has since stalled in the political arena.
The main challenge is that EU member states cannot agree on how to proceed. Specifically, there is disagreement over whether to adopt permanent summer time or permanent winter time. Some countries, like Spain and Italy, favor permanent summer time, while others prefer the winter schedule. Without agreement on the best course of action, the proposed reform was shelved. The EU insists that any decision must be coordinated across member states to avoid confusion in the single market, particularly in sectors like trade, transport, and communication.
Furthermore, countries are discouraged from acting unilaterally, as doing so could cause disruption. The EU believes that it is essential for all countries to align their time changes to maintain stability. Despite the delay, Lithuania may bring up the issue again during its 2027 presidency of the EU Council. For now, the European Commission continues to encourage dialogue on the subject, leaving the final decision to the individual member states.
The Political Significance of Time Zones
The debate over daylight saving time is not just about health and convenience. Time zones themselves are deeply political and have been shaped by historical and geopolitical factors. Timekeeping is a reflection of political identity, as much as it is about geography.
During World War II, for example, Nazi Germany imposed its time zone on countries they occupied, such as France and the Benelux nations. In the years that followed, Spain, under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, aligned its clocks with Nazi Germany, despite the fact that this was not in line with the country’s natural solar time.
More recently, Ukraine canceled daylight saving time to avoid aligning its clocks with Moscow Standard Time, which had been imposed by Russia on the occupied territories. These decisions highlight how timekeeping decisions have often been linked to political identity and national sovereignty.
The Mismatch Between Solar Time and Official Time
In many parts of Europe, the official time is misaligned with solar time, which further complicates the situation. In countries like Spain, the sun rises and sets much later than the official clock would suggest. This misalignment leads to disruptions in people’s daily routines, including sleep patterns and work schedules.
Ariadna Güell Sans has explained that, ideally, “when it’s 12 on the clock, the sun should be at its highest point in the sky.” This is not the case across much of Western Europe, where the clock time is out of sync with the natural day-night cycle. This mismatch is particularly noticeable in the summer months, when the evenings stretch long into the night.
Proposals for New Time Zones
One potential solution to the ongoing debate is a proposal by the Time Use Initiative, which suggests that Europe should adopt new time zones based on natural meridians, better aligning the clocks with solar time. Under this proposal, the UK, France, Spain, and the Benelux countries would adopt Western European Time (GMT), which is currently used by Portugal and Ireland. Ireland and Portugal would join Iceland in the Azores Time Zone (GMT–1), while Central Europe and Greece would move one hour ahead to GMT+1, and Eastern Europe and the Baltics would be two hours ahead at GMT+2.
While this proposal could bring timekeeping closer to solar time and reduce the health and productivity issues caused by the current system, it is not without complications. For instance, Ireland and Northern Ireland would end up in different time zones, which could create fresh political tensions, especially in light of the ongoing sensitivities surrounding the Irish border.
The Ongoing Struggle to End Time Changes
Despite the widespread public dissatisfaction with daylight saving time, the political process for changing the system remains slow and complicated. The issue is deeply tied to health, economics, historical legacies, and national identity. As the EU continues to grapple with the debate, it is clear that finding a consensus on how to replace the seasonal time changes will not be easy.
Until member states reach an agreement, Europeans will continue to change their clocks twice a year, despite growing calls for an end to the practice. In the meantime, many citizens will continue to face the annual frustration of losing an hour of sleep as they move their clocks forward this Sunday.