EU Member States will decide alone whether to stay on summer or winter time

The Commission proposed to end seasonal clock changes in Europe in 2019

On 12 September 2018, on the occasion of his State of the Union Address, President Jean-Claude Juncker said: "We all say in soap-box speeches that we want to be big on big things and small on small things. But there is no applause when EU law dictates that Europeans have to change the clocks twice a year. The Commission is today proposing to change this. Clock-changing must stop. Member States should themselves decide whether their citizens live in summer- or wintertime. It is a question of subsidiarity. I expect the Parliament and Council will share this view and find solutions that work for our internal market. We are out of time."

 The Commission's proposal:

• to put an end to seasonal clock changes for the entire European Union;
• to set out a clear and short timetable for the changes to take effect;
• to encourage consultation at national and European levels, to ensure a coordinated approach among Member States.

The proposal is another good example of the Juncker Commission, leaving it to Member States to take decisions where they are best placed to do so.

Source: European Commission