Group of MEPs writes letter demanding end to ritual of moving clocks forward and back
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A group of MEPs led by Fine Gael's Sean Kelly has written to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to demand the end of daylight savings time.
In the letter, the cross-party group says the bi-annual ritual of moving clocks forward and back "is outdated and poses well-documented risks to health, safety, and overall well-being". The letter says the clock change can "negatively impact sleep patterns, increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and lead to a spike in traffic accidents".
"Additionally, the energy-saving benefits that once justified the practice have largely diminished in modern times, and in fact, the change may even result in increased energy consumption during winter months," the letter adds.
A public consultation which ran from July to August in 2018 received 4.6 million responses from all 28 Member States — the highest number of responses ever received in any Commission public consultation — and saw citizens overwhelmingly backing the end of the practice with 84% of respondents making it clear that they do not want the clock to change anymore.
In March 2019, the European Parliament adopted its legislative resolution in favour of the Commission's 2018 proposal. The resolution was resoundingly supported with 410 votes in favour, 192 against with 51 abstentions.
However, progress has stalled since then. Member States had to decide whether they wanted to stay in summertime or wintertime ahead of a 2021 date for abolition. However, Ireland had planned to object to this plan as it would present issues with the North.
The letter says that abolishing the clock change "is also in line with the EU’s commitment to simplification, reducing unnecessary burdens for citizens, and making daily life easier across the Union".
The group finishes by saying that ending the clock change will be "a practical and popular move that would have significant benefits for citizens across Europe".
Mr Kelly said the cross-party nature of the letter showed it was "not a partisan issue".
"I have been working for many years to see the end of this outdated practice," Kelly said. "It is time to put an end to the biannual clock change, which has been proven to have negative effects on health, well-being, and safety. The practice is no longer fit for purpose in today’s world."
Mr Kelly said that he is confident that with "renewed momentum", progress can finally be made.
Clocks go back by one hour at 2am on the last Sunday in October. This means, at 2am the time on the clock is changed to 1am this weekend.