In the night from Saturday 27 to Sunday 28 October, the French and other European citizens will leave their watches and clocks for an hour. The transition to winter time is the 42nd since the measure was introduced in 1976 to save energy after the first oil shock of 1973. However, this movement of the needle may be the last if the 28 states members of the European Union decide to end to make the time change, as desired by Brussels.
The European Commission announced yesterday that it will propose the system of daylight saving time and winter time, whose relevance is increasingly being questioned.
A factor of accidents on the road
Daylight saving time was introduced in 1976 to reduce oil bills by reducing the need for lighting in the evenings. Since then, the energy savings resulting from the change of time have become marginal, particularly as a result of the introduction of energy saving lamps.
In 2017, the European Parliament emphasized the low impact of summer time on electricity consumption on the basis of scientific studies. In France, savings are estimated at 0.07% of total energy consumption. Over time, the adverse effects of time changes on health and biological rhythm have surpassed the benefits. The transition to winter time also weighs on the bad road safety figures. Every year is the month of November that closely follows the time change, one of the most deadly of the year.
The end of summer time (or winter time) is an old sea snake. Already in 1996, a Senate report recommended "leaving this artificial device and returning to a more natural time". Senators even proposed to shift the schedules of schools, administrations and companies according to the seasons and their location in relation to the sun. This report was buried and more than 20 years later it is Europe that takes the subject in its desire to respond to the concerns of EU citizens in their daily lives. Brussels takes the initiative and wants to leave quickly, supported by the results of the public consultation organized this summer. 4.6% of Europeans voted 84% to leave summer time and winter time.
Each status remains master of its time zone
To put an end to the change of time, the Heads of State and the European Parliament must adopt a new European directive that is binding on all Member States. Each country, however, remains the master of its time zone and thus free to choose whether it prefers to stay in the summer or winter time. Inter-state discussions can be complicated to achieve harmonization, even if the EU is already divided into three time zones. Italy, now the European troublemaker, has already indicated to be reluctant to an agreement with its neighbors. "I have no words, Italians pay billions to change the hands of a clock …" yesterday the Minister of Home Affairs, the populist and europhobic Matteo Salvini tweeted.
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