Text · Report parliamentary committee draft
On the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council discontinuing seasonal changes of time and repealing Directive 2000/84/EC
Document TRAN-PR-632060 · COM(2018)0639 – C8-0408/2018 – 2018/0332(COD)
- Kind
- Report parliamentary committee draft TRAN-PR-632060
- Date
- 18 December 2018
- Committee
- Committee on Transport and Tourism
- Rapporteur
- Marita Ulvskog
- Dossier
- 2018-0332
More facts (2)
- Formats
- Official page PDF Word
- Reference
- COM(2018)0639 – C8-0408/2018 – 2018/0332(COD)
In short
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The rapporteur's draft report responds to the Commission proposal to end seasonal clock changes and repeal Directive 2000/84/EC. It supports ending the biannual change but replaces the fixed 2019 date with a two-year transition after entry into force. It keeps each member state's right to choose its standard time, but requires them to notify the Commission and all other member states 18 months before any change, and to set up a network of national contact points. Member states that want permanent summer time would change their standard time at 1.00 a.m. Coordinated Universal Time on the last Sunday in March of the transition year. The Commission would report on implementation five years after entry into force, and member states would provide information by the same deadline.
Position. The rapporteur supports abolishing seasonal clock changes but considers the Commission proposal premature due to the lack of a proper impact assessment and the short eight-week consultation. She proposes a two-year transition period, an 18-month notification period, and a network of national contact points to coordinate member states' choices of standard time.
Key points
- Parliament adopts its position at first reading on the proposal to discontinue seasonal changes of time and repeal Directive 2000/84/EC.
- The Commission should refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal.
- Recital 2 is amended to stress the importance of maintaining a harmonised approach to time arrangements and a unified EU time regime.
- Recital 3 is amended to add that harmonised rules create predictability and long-term certainty, and that recent scientific studies point out possible negative effects on human health linked to a biannual change of time.
- Recital 4 is amended to note that around 4.6 million citizens participated in the Commission's public consultation, the largest number of responses ever received.
- Member states should refrain from changing their standard time for reasons related to seasonal changes, and should notify the Commission and all other member states in due time of any intended change.
- The Commission should publish notified changes in the Official Journal and inform the general public and stakeholders.
- A network of national contact points on time arrangements should be set up to strengthen cooperation and coordination between member states.
- The directive should apply two years after entry into force, not from 1 April 2019; member states wishing to adopt permanent summer time should change their standard time at 1.00 a.m. Coordinated Universal Time on the last Sunday in March of that year.
- Member states must notify the Commission and all other member states at least 18 months before a standard time change takes effect, and must apply the change if the notification is not withdrawn at least 18 months before.
- The Commission must publish the notification in the Official Journal within 1 month and inform the general public.
- The Commission must report on implementation, and member states must provide relevant information, five years after entry into force; member states must transpose the directive by two years after entry into force.
Who is affected
- Member states: may keep their standard time but must notify changes 18 months in advance and coordinate through contact points.
- Economic operators, including transport and cross-border trade: gain predictability and long-term certainty on applicable times.
- Citizens and stakeholders: to be informed of upcoming time changes by the Commission.
Figures and deadlines
- Around 4.6 million citizens participated in the Commission's public consultation.
- 84% of responses were in favour of abolishing seasonal changes of time.
- Member states must notify a standard time change at least 18 months before it takes effect.
- The Commission must publish the notification within 1 month.
- The Commission must report on implementation by five years after entry into force.
- Member states must provide relevant information by five years after entry into force.
- Member states must transpose the directive by two years after entry into force.
- Directive 2000/84/EC is repealed with effect from two years after entry into force.
Legal basis. Article 294(2) and Article 114 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
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Jump to an amendment (16)
Draft european parliament legislative resolution
on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council discontinuing seasonal changes of time and repealing Directive 2000/84/EC
– having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 114 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C8-0408/2018),
– having regard to the report of the Committee on Transport and Tourism and the opinions of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, the Committee on Internal market and Consumer protection, the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, the Committee on Legal Affairs, and the Committee on Petitions (A8-0000/2018);
2. Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal;
3. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments.
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (2) In its resolution of 8 February 2018, the European Parliament called on the Commission to conduct an assessment of the summer-time arrangements provided by Directive 2000/84/EC and, if necessary, to come up with a proposal for its revision. That resolution also confirmed that it is essential to maintain a harmonised approach to time arrangements throughout the Union. | (2) In its resolution of 8 February 2018, the European Parliament called on the Commission to conduct a thorough assessment of the summer-time arrangements provided by Directive 2000/84/EC and, if necessary, to come up with a proposal for its revision. That resolution also stressed the importance of maintaining a harmonised approach to time arrangements throughout the Union and a unified EU time regime. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (3) The Commission has examined available evidence, which points to the importance of having harmonised Union rules in this area to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market and avoid, inter alia, disruptions to the scheduling of transport operations and the functioning of information and communication systems, higher costs to cross-border trade, or lower productivity for goods and services. Evidence is not conclusive as to whether the benefits of summer-time arrangements outweigh the inconveniences linked to a biannual change of time. | (3) The Commission has examined available evidence, which points to the importance of having harmonised Union rules in this area to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market, create predictability and long-term certainty and avoid, inter alia, disruptions to the scheduling of transport operations and the functioning of information and communication systems, higher costs to cross-border trade, or lower productivity for goods and services. Furthermore, while scientific evidence is not yet fully conclusive, recent scientific studies have pointed out the possible negative effects on human health linked to a biannual change of time. |
Predictability and long-term certainty regarding the time arrangements of Member States is of utmost importance for economic operators in order to plan their economic operations, including transport timetables.
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (4) A lively public debate is taking place on summer-time arrangements and some Member States have already expressed their preference to discontinue the application of such arrangements. In the light of these developments, it is necessary to continue safeguarding the proper functioning of the internal market and to avoid any significant disruptions thereto caused by divergences between Member States in this area. Therefore, it is appropriate to put an end in a coordinated way to summer-time arrangements. | (4) A lively public debate is taking place on summer-time arrangements. Around 4.6 million citizens participated in the public consultation held by the Commission, which is the largest number of responses ever received in any Commission consultation. A number of citizens' initiatives have highlighted citizens' concerns about the biannual clock change and some Member States have already expressed their preference to discontinue the application of such summer-time arrangements. In the light of these developments, it is necessary to continue safeguarding the proper functioning of the internal market and to avoid any significant disruptions thereto caused by divergences between Member States in this area. Therefore, it is appropriate to put an end in a coordinated way to summer-time arrangements. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (5) This Directive should not prejudice the right of each Member State to decide on the standard time or times for the territories under its jurisdiction and falling under the territorial scope of the Treaties, and on further changes thereto. However, in order to ensure that the application of summer-time arrangements by some Member States only does not disrupt the functioning of the internal market, Member States should refrain from changing the standard time in any given territory under their jurisdiction for reasons related to seasonal changes, be such change presented as a change of time zone. Moreover, in order to minimise disruptions, inter alia, to transport, communications and other concerned sectors, they should notify the Commission in due time of their intention to change their standard time and subsequently apply the notified changes. The Commission should, on the basis of that notification, inform all other Member States so that they can take all necessary measures. It should also inform the general public and stakeholders by publishing this information. | (5) This Directive should not prejudice the right of each Member State to decide on the standard time or times for the territories under its jurisdiction and falling under the territorial scope of the Treaties, and on further changes thereto. However, in order to ensure that the application of summer-time arrangements by some Member States only does not disrupt the functioning of the internal market, Member States should refrain from changing the standard time in any given territory under their jurisdiction for reasons related to seasonal changes, be such change presented as a change of time zone. Moreover, in order to minimise disruptions, inter alia, to transport, communications and other concerned sectors, they should notify the Commission and all other Member States in due time of their intention to change their standard time and subsequently apply the notified changes, so that they can take all necessary measures. The Commission should inform the general public and stakeholders by publishing this information. |
In order to avoid an uncoordinated patchwork of applicable times in the EU, it is of the utmost importance for (neighbouring) Member States to coordinate among themselves their standard times. If a Member State decides to change its standard time, it should notify, well in advance, all other Member States, so that they can take all necessary measures.
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (6) Therefore, it is necessary to put an end to the harmonisation of the period covered by summer-time arrangements as laid down in Directive 2000/84/EC and to introduce common rules preventing Member States from applying different seasonal time arrangements by changing their standard time more than once during the year and establishing the obligation to notify envisaged changes of the standard time. This Directive aims at contributing in a determined manner to the smooth functioning of the internal market and should, consequently, be based on Article 114 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, as interpreted in accordance with the consistent case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Union. | (6) Therefore, it is necessary to put an end to the harmonisation of the period covered by summer-time arrangements as laid down in Directive 2000/84/EC and to introduce common rules preventing Member States from applying different seasonal time arrangements by changing their standard time and establishing the obligation to notify envisaged changes of the standard time. This Directive aims at contributing in a determined manner to the smooth functioning of the internal market and should, consequently, be based on Article 114 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, as interpreted in accordance with the consistent case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Union. |
A Member State's change of standard time should clearly be the exception, not the rule, in order to provide economic operators with long-term predictability and certainty and to avoid an uncoordinated patchwork of applicable times in the Union.
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (7) This Directive should apply from 1 April 2019, so that the last summer-time period subject to the rules of Directive 2000/84/EC should start, in every Member State, at 1.00 a.m., Coordinated Universal Time, on 31 March 2019. Member States that, after that summer-time period, intend to adopt a standard time corresponding to the time applied during the winter season in accordance with Directive 2000/84/EC should change their standard time at 1.00 a.m., Coordinated Universal Time, on 27 October 2019, so that similar and lasting changes occurring in different Member States take place simultaneously. It is desirable that Member States take the decisions on the standard time that each of them will apply as from 2019 in a concerted manner. | (7) This Directive should apply from 1 January ... [OJ: insert the year corresponding to two years after the entry into force of this Directive]. Member States that intend to adopt a standard time corresponding to the time applied during the summer season in accordance with Directive 2000/84/EC should change their standard time at 1.00 a.m., Coordinated Universal Time, on the last Sunday in March of that year, so that similar and lasting changes occurring in different Member States take place simultaneously. It is desirable that Member States take the decisions on the standard time that each of them will apply in a concerted manner. |
In order to avoid an uncoordinated patchwork of applicable times in the Union and to guarantee predictability and certainty to economic operators, it is necessary to ensure a 2-years transition time between the entry into force of this Directive and its date of application. After that 2-years transition period in March those Member States that wish to introduce permanent summer-time on their territory can do so, while the other Member States will continue to apply standard time.
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (7 a) In order to strengthen the cooperation and coordination between Member States and to facilitate that Member States take decisions on their standard times in a concerted and coordinated manner, a network of national contact points on time arrangements should be set up. |
In order to avoid an uncoordinated patchwork of applicable times in the EU, it is of the utmost importance for (neighbouring) Member States to coordinate among themselves their standard times and inform each other of any upcoming change of standard time. In order to facilitate this coordination, a network of national contact points should be set up.
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2. Notwithstanding paragraph 1, Member States may still apply a seasonal change of their standard time or times in 2019, provided that they do so at 1.00 a.m., Coordinated Universal Time, on 27 October 2019. The Member States shall notify this decision in accordance with Article 2. | 2. Notwithstanding paragraph 1, Member States may still apply a seasonal change of their standard time or times in ... [OJ: insert the year corresponding to two years after the entry into force of this Directive], provided that they do so at 1.00 a.m., Coordinated Universal Time, on the last Sunday in March of that year. The Member States shall notify this decision in accordance with Article 2. |
In order to avoid an uncoordinated patchwork of applicable times in the Union and to guarantee predictability and certainty to economic operators, it is necessary to ensure a 2-years transition time between the entry into force of this Directive and its date of application. After that 2-years transition period in March those Member States that wish to introduce permanent summer-time on their territory can do so, while the other Member States will continue to apply standard time.
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 1. Without prejudice to Article 1, if a Member State decides to change its standard time or times in any territory under its jurisdiction, it shall notify the Commission at least 6 months before the change takes effect. Where a Member State has made such a notification and has not withdrawn it at least 6 months before the date of the envisaged change, the Member State shall apply this change. | 1. Without prejudice to Article 1, if a Member State decides to change its standard time or times in any territory under its jurisdiction, it shall notify the Commission and all other Member States at least 18 months before the change takes effect. Where a Member State has made such a notification and has not withdrawn it at least 18 months before the date of the envisaged change, the Member State shall apply this change. |
Economic operators need long-term certainty and predictability regarding the exact time applicable in each Member State, for example in order to establish their cross-border timetables. Furthermore, it is important to not only notify the Commission of any future time change, but also the other Member States.
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2. Within 1 month of the notification, the Commission shall inform the other Member States thereof and publish that information in the Official Journal of the European Union. | 2. Within 1 month of the notification, the Commission shall publish that information in the Official Journal of the European Union and inform the general public. |
Linked to the AM to Art 2(1). All Member States will be notified directly by the Member State concerned. Furthermore, the general public needs to be informed of upcoming changes to the time applicable in a Member State.
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Article 2 a | |
| 1. Each Member State shall establish or designate a contact point for the tasks set out in this Directive and communicate it to the Commission. | |
| 2. The Commission shall establish a list of all national contact points and communicate it to all Member States. | |
| 3. The national contact points and a representative of the Commission shall make up a network, that is hereby established, in order to exchange relevant information and to facilitate the cooperation and coordination among Member States. |
In order to avoid an uncoordinated patchwork of applicable times in the EU, it is of the utmost importance for (neighbouring) Member States to coordinate among themselves their standard times and inform each other of any upcoming change of standard time. In order to facilitate this coordination, a network of national contact points should be set up.
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 1. The Commission shall report to the European Parliament and to the Council on the implementation of this Directive by 31 December 2024 at the latest. | 1. The Commission shall report to the European Parliament and to the Council on the implementation of this Directive by 31 December ... [OJ: insert the year corresponding to five years after the entry into force of this Directive] at the latest. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2. Member States shall provide the Commission with the relevant information by 30 April 2024 at the latest. | 2. Member States shall provide the Commission with the relevant information by 30 April ... [OJ: insert the year corresponding to five years after the entry into force of this Directive] at the latest. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Member States shall adopt and publish, by 1 April 2019 at the latest, the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive. They shall forthwith communicate to the Commission the text of those provisions. | Member States shall adopt and publish, by 1 January ... [OJ: insert the year corresponding to two years after the entry into force of this Directive] at the latest, the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive. They shall forthwith communicate to the Commission the text of those provisions. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| They shall apply those provisions from 1 April 2019. | They shall apply those provisions from 1 January ... [OJ: insert the year corresponding to two years after the entry into force of this Directive]. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Directive 2000/84/EC is repealed with effect from 1 April 2019. | Directive 2000/84/EC is repealed with effect from 1 January ... [OJ: insert the year corresponding to two years after the entry into force of this Directive]. |
Back matter, 1
Parts that accompany the text rather than belong to it: explanatory statement, annexes, opinions appended by other committees. Collapsed.
Explanatory statement 15 blocks
In the past century, seasonal resetting of clocks has been practised from time to time in Europe. The reasons have been various, but energy saving has been a recurrent one. That is one of the reasons why EU Member States have reset clocks seasonally for fairly long periods of time. The current EU legislation was implemented in 2001.
Studies show that seasonal changes of time affect transport, the internal market, agriculture, the energy sector and public health, to mention just a few sectors. It is clear that a harmonised time system is necessary for the functioning of transport and the internal market within the EU.
But in some respects changes of time have an adverse impact. In agriculture, changes of time have a negative impact on crop yields and animal welfare, interrupting the biorhythms of livestock, which, for example, affects the milking of cows. Changes of time also have a negative impact on public health, with children and older people being those most affected. Studies also show that people in general feel less well due to changes of time, suffering from the disruption of the circadian cycle, increased sleep problems and fatigue. In the energy sector it is no longer possible to perceive any clear benefits from changes of time.
Seasonal changes of time have increasingly been debated in recent years, one reflection of that being citizens’ initiatives communicated to national parliaments and the European Parliament.
In February 2018, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on the Commission to revise the Directive on seasonal changes of time and, if necessary, to revise the Directive.
In summer 2018, the Commission conducted an open consultation which generated around 4.6 million responses, 84% of them in favour of abolishing seasonal changes of time.
The Commission submitted its proposal for the revision of the Directive on seasonal changes of time in September 2018. In the proposal, the Commission proposes abolishing changes of time from 1 April 2019, while allowing Member States to choose their standard time for themselves.
The rapporteur welcomes the debate on seasonal changes of time. The rapporteur is pleased that the Commission’s open consultation procedure on the resetting of clocks interested members of the public so much that some 4.6 million responses were received. Given that the seasonal resetting of clocks affects many citizens, the rapporteur considers it positive that the debate has also resulted in a revision of the Directive.
The rapporteur supports the Commission’s proposal to abolish the seasonal resetting of clocks. However, the rapporteur considers the Commission proposal to be somewhat premature, as no proper impact assessment was performed before the proposal to revise the Directive was drawn up. The Commission’s open consultation was also conducted over a relatively short period, eight weeks, rather than the customary 12 weeks. This is regrettable, as impact assessments of legislative proposals are an important way of providing policy-makers with sufficient information to base their final decision on.
In order to ensure the proper functioning of transport and the internal market, the rapporteur believes that a harmonised time system within the EU is essential. However, the rapporteur considers it important for Member States to retain the power to determine their own standard time at national level. Therefore, in order to ensure the proper functioning of transport and the internal market, the rapporteur encourages the Member States to coordinate their work on the choice of time zone and standard time among themselves. Decisions on this could be coordinated by exchanging information between responsible contact points in the Member States in the form of a network.
The rapporteur supports the Commission’s proposal that Member States should notify the Commission before any changes are made to standard time. However, the same information should also be given to the Member States at the same time as to the Commission. The coordinated exchange of information may be facilitated by the network between responsible contact points in the Member States proposed by the rapporteur.
As predictability and a long-term view are needed for the proper functioning of transport and the internal market, the rapporteur suggests that, when standard time is to be altered, 18 months before the change occurs is an appropriate notice period for a Member State to inform the Commission and the other Member States.
In order to ensure the proper functioning of transport and the internal market, the rapporteur considers it appropriate to specify a transposition period of two years after the adoption of the Directive, rather than setting a specific date for its entry into force. Nevertheless, your rapporteur believes that this directive should be adopted as soon as possible.
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- Licensed CC BY 4.0.
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Cite as
European Parliament (2018). “DRAFT REPORT on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council discontinuing seasonal changes of time and repealing Directive 2000/84/EC”. Text, 18 December 2018. docId TRAN-PR-632060. EU Parl Watch Research. https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/TRAN-PR-632060 (retrieved 25 September 2026). Data: EP Open Data API: document record, https://data.europarl.europa.eu/api/v2/documents/TRAN-PR-632060 (CC BY 4.0).
BibTeX
@misc{epw-text-tran-pr-632060,
author = {{European Parliament}},
title = {{DRAFT REPORT on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council discontinuing seasonal changes of time and repealing Directive 2000/84/EC}},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-12-18},
howpublished = {\url{https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/TRAN-PR-632060}},
url = {https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/TRAN-PR-632060},
urldate = {2026-09-25},
publisher = {EU Parl Watch Research},
note = {Text. docId TRAN-PR-632060. Data: EP Open Data API: document record (CC BY 4.0)}
}