The Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, speaking at the Plenary Session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
The final abolition of seasonal time changes in the European Union was once again brought to the fore by the Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, speaking at the Plenary Session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
“It’s time to finally stop changing time twice a year in Europe,” underlined the Commissioner, who is responsible for the file, noting that the relevant study by the European Commission is nearing completion and will form the basis for the next institutional moves.
“A system that no longer serves anyone”
Mr. Tzitzikostas noted that the practice of changing time was introduced in the 1970s, in the midst of an energy crisis, with the aim of saving energy, but today it has no real benefit.
“Times have changed. With today’s technology and digitalisation, this system no longer produces any energy savings. On the contrary, it causes unnecessary complications in society and negative impacts on citizens’ health”, he stressed.
The Commissioner said that the abolition of the measure “will restore normality and simplify the lives of millions of Europeans”, noting that the European Parliament has unanimously supported the proposal to end seasonal time changes.
The voice of citizens
Mr. Tzitzikostas made special mention of the massive participation of citizens in the European Commission’s public consultation:
“4.6 million Europeans participated – a record number. 84% called for this absurdity to stop. The citizens of Europe want us to act, and my goal is to move forward immediately”, he said.
Next steps
Upon completion of the study, the European Commission will proceed with all the necessary institutional procedures, in cooperation with the European Council and the Member States, in order to define the new framework.
“The unanimous position of the European Parliament shows that Europe listens to citizens, especially on issues that affect their daily lives”, underlined the Commissioner.
It is worth noting that all political groups in the European Parliament expressed support for the proposal, which – as Mr. Tzitzikostas said – “proves that common sense can unite us all”.
