opinion parliamentary committee draft, 10 December 2018
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 ENVI-PA-631995 · (COM(2018)0639 – C80408/2018 – 2018/0332(COD))
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety · Rapporteur: Bolesław G. Piecha
AI:In short
The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety gives its draft opinion on the proposed directive discontinuing seasonal changes of time and repealing Directive 2000/84/EC. The rapporteur notes that the health effects of time changes are still unclear and that Member States should decide on their own standard time in a harmonised way. The draft proposes nine amendments: four new recitals on the public consultation, studies on health effects, chronobiology and energy savings, and changes postponing the directive's dates from 2019 to 2020.
Position. The rapporteur welcomes the Commission's initiative but refrains from imposing decisions on Member States, signals potential health-related aspects, and proposes nine amendments: four new recitals and a postponement of the directive's dates from 2019 to 2020.
Key points
- The rapporteur says the impact of time changes on human health is still unclear and needs further in-depth research on adaptation.
- The rapporteur wants a large scale of choice on changing time left to Member States according to their interests.
- The rapporteur signals health-related aspects of the proposal but refrains from imposing decisions on Member States, in line with subsidiarity in health policy.
- The rapporteur says scarce empirical data and no common Member State positions limit a decision, and suggests the negotiations be slightly postponed.
- Amendment 1 adds a recital that the public consultation showed a vast majority of stakeholders favour discontinuing seasonal time changes, mainly because of health impacts (43%) and lack of energy savings (20%).
- Amendment 2 adds a recital on studies linking the switch to summer time with risks such as heart attacks, disrupted body rhythm, sleep deprivation and accidents, and on positive long-term effects of longer daylight.
- Amendment 3 adds a recital that chronobiology shows time changes affect the internal body clock, with the spring change particularly at stake, though evidence is far from conclusive.
- Amendment 4 adds a recital that seasonal time changes may be marginally beneficial for energy consumption in the Union as a whole but not in every Member State, with results influenced by external factors.
- Amendment 5 changes Recital 7 so the directive applies from 30 March 2020, the last summer-time period starts at 1.00 a.m. Coordinated Universal Time on 30 March 2020, and Member States changing standard time do so at 1.00 a.m. on 25 October 2020.
- Amendment 6 changes Article 1(2) so Member States may still apply a seasonal change in 2020 at 1.00 a.m. Coordinated Universal Time on 25 October 2020, and must notify this decision.
- Amendments 7 and 8 change Article 4(1) so Member States must adopt and publish compliance provisions by 30 March 2020 and apply them from that date.
- Amendment 9 changes Article 5(1) so Directive 2000/84/EC is repealed with effect from 30 March 2020.
Who is affected
- Member States: may still apply a seasonal time change in 2020 and must notify the decision; must adopt and publish compliance provisions by 30 March 2020.
- The Commission: receives notification of Member States' decisions and the text of national compliance provisions.
- The Committee on Transport and Tourism, as committee responsible: is asked to take the amendments into account.
Figures and deadlines
- 76% of respondents to the public consultation stated a negative experience with the switch from wintertime to summertime.
- 43% of answers were related to health issues and health concerns.
- 20% of answers were justified by lack of energy savings.
- Clocks are advanced by one hour on the last Sunday of March and set back by one hour on the last Sunday of October.
- The directive should apply from 30 March 2020.
- The last summer-time period starts at 1.00 a.m., Coordinated Universal Time, on 30 March 2020.
- Member States changing standard time should do so at 1.00 a.m., Coordinated Universal Time, on 25 October 2020.
- Member States may still apply a seasonal change in 2020 at 1.00 a.m., Coordinated Universal Time, on 25 October 2020.
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Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
2018/0332(COD)
10.12.2018
DRAFT OPINION
Short justification 56 paragraphs
Over the last years, the STA (Summer time arrangement) has been the subject of highly debated issues. A number of requests from citizens, from the European Parliament, and from certain EU Member States, have led the Commission to decide for the investigation of the functioning of the current EU summertime arrangements and to assess whether or not they should be changed.
EU summer-time arrangements imply that clocks are changed twice per year in all Member States, in order to cater for the changing patterns of daylight across seasons. Clocks are advanced by one hour in the morning of the last Sunday of March and set back by one hour in the morning of the last Sunday of October to return to standard time.
The spectrum of health issues that are related to Daylight Saving Time (DST) is broad, encompassing short-term (i.e. during the days following the switch) and long-term effects, as well as positive and negative effects. However, the relevant impact of disturbances in the biological rhythm due to time change on human health is still unclear and requires further in-depth research regarding the process of adaptation to time change.
During the public consultation on summertime arrangements, the majority of all respondents (76%) stated that they have a negative experience with the switching from wintertime to summertime. 43% of these answers were related to health issues and health concerns, while 20% were justified by lack of energy savings.
In the context of these negative experiences, the Commission decided to take into consideration potentially adverse health effects of DST, which have been the subject of numerous studies and debates. Some studies look into the link between the switch to summer time and the risk of heart attacks, disrupted body rhythm, sleep deprivation, lack of concentration and attention, increased risk of accidents, lower life satisfaction and even suicide rates.
Although the list of potential negative effects is long, some studies clearly establish positive long-term effects for general well-being from longer daylight, outdoor activities after work or school, exposure to sunlight.
But even though I welcome positively the new initiative of the Commission, and I would accept some potential health effects of EU summertime arrangements, a large scale of choice in the terms of changing time should be left to the discretion of the Members States according to their interests.
That is why I intend to signalise some potential health-related aspects of the proposal, stipulating some positive and negative elements that may be taken into consideration, but at the same time I refrain from imposing decisions on the Member States. Of course, I would like to consider a positive attitude towards the EC proposal, but in order to be in compliance with the subsidiarity principle in the frame of health policy, we should let the Member States take their own decisions in a harmonized manner.
In conclusion, I would like to underline that, even if we would be to take a clear final decision, especially due to the fact that this legislation is heading towards its end, we have to consider the empirical evidence related to health issues. However, a genuine and sincere consideration and gathering of all accessible data of that particular dossier does not facilitate our task in terms of making a decision that is clearly supported by scientifically proven arguments. I strongly believe that we should express an intention to conclude the outstanding work given the clearly expressed will of the European citizens; yet, we have to admit our obvious limitations - scarce empirical data and no common positions of the Member States. For these reasons, it seems appropriate that we may consider the ongoing negotiations to be slightly postponed as we may operate on more concrete data and a clearer message from the Member States providing and guiding us in their still unmet expectations.
AMENDMENTS
The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety calls on the Committee on Transport and Tourism, as the committee responsible, to take into account the following amendments:
Amendment 1
Proposal for a directive
Recital 4 a (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (4 a) The public consultation revealed that a vast majority of participating stakeholders is in favour of discontinuing seasonal changes of time. The main reason for the discontinuation is the impact of time changes on human health (43%) followed by lack of energy savings (20%). |
Or. en
Amendment 2
Proposal for a directive
Recital 4 b (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (4 b) Numerous studies looked into the link between the switch to summer time and the risk of heart attacks, disrupted body rhythm, sleep deprivation, lack of concentration and attention, increased risk of accidents, lower life satisfaction and even suicide rates. However, longer daylight, outdoor activities after work or school and exposure to sunlight clearly have some positive long-term effects on general well-being. |
Or. en
Amendment 3
Proposal for a directive
Recital 4 c (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (4 c) Chronobiology shows that the human body is scheduled according to the internal body clock and that any changes of time do affect it causing discomfort. While for most people it takes a few days to adapt to new changes, certain chronotypes require several weeks or even longer. The spring time change is particularly at stake as some studies suggest, for example, that there is a higher rate of ischemic strokes in the first two days after the change, although the evidence on this issue (and on other health aspects, such as heart attacks or suicide rates) is far from conclusive. |
Or. en
Amendment 4
Proposal for a directive
Recital 4 d (new)
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (4 d) It is widely assumed that seasonal changes of time bring about energy savings. Indeed, it was the main reason for their initial introduction in the past century. Research shows, however, that while the seasonal changes of time may be marginally beneficial to reducing energy consumption in the Union as a whole, it is not the case in every Member State. Moreover, results are difficult to interpret as they are strongly influenced by external factors, such as meteorology, behaviour of energy users or ongoing energy transition. |
Or. en
Amendment 5
Proposal for a directive
Recital 7
| 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 30 March 2020, 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 30 March 2020. 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 25 October 2020, 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 2020 in a concerted manner. |
Or. en
Amendment 6
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 2
| 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 2020, provided that they do so at 1.00 a.m., Coordinated Universal Time, on 25 October 2020. The Member States shall notify this decision in accordance with Article 2. |
Or. en
Amendment 7
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
| 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 30 March 2020 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. |
Or. en
Amendment 8
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| They shall apply those provisions from 1 April 2019. | They shall apply those provisions from 30 March 2020. |
Or. en
Amendment 9
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 1
| 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 30 March 2020. |
Or. en