European Union votes to stop moving clocks twice a year
The European Union’s parliament on Tuesday voted by a large majority to end Daylight Saving Time in the EU by 2021.
Under the Commission’s proposal, initially planned for this year, EU ｃountries would not be able to change their clocks forward and backward during the year in future, but would be free to decide which time zone they wanted to be in.
From April 2021, governments opting to make Summer time (Daylight Saving time) permanent would adjust their clocks for the last time on the last Sunday of March 2021.
For those choosing permanent Standard time the final clock change would be on the last Sunday of October 2021.
All 28 member states would need to inform the European Commission of their choice ahead of the proposed switch, by April 2020. The Commission stressed that states must co-ordinate their choices, to minimize the risk of economic disruption from a patchwork of different time systems.
Politicians passed the measure by 410 votes to 192 – meaning seasonal time shifts, which were introduced during World War One to save energy, will end in 2021.
Last year, the European Commission proposed abolishing the seasonal clock change after an EU-wide online poll showed overwhelming support. However, 3 million of the 4.6 million (70%) survey responses came from Germany, leading to complaints the European Commission wanted to impose German will on the other states. (Note: The population of the EU is 508 million.)
The practice of switching clocks was first introduced in World War One and brought back during the 1970s oil crisis, aiming to save energy by prolonging evening daylight in summer.
Under a 2001 EU directive, all 28 states are required to switch to Daylight savings time on the last Sunday of March and back to winter time (Standard time) on the last Sunday of October.
Fewer time differences, it was argued, would facilitate cross-border trade and travel in the EU. The extra daylight hours in summer could reduce spending on artificial lighting and help outdoor leisure activities.
But the energy savings from DST have proven to be quite marginal. And some of the EU’s major trading partners – among them China, Russia and Turkey – do not operate under DST.
The UK government has indicated it will stick to the current system of seasonal changes after it leaves the European Union (Brexit).
The majority of ｃountries outside Europe and North America do not adjust their clocks twice a year.
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Article Source: https://www.studentnewsdaily.com/daily-news-article/eu-votes-to-stop-moving-clocks-twice-a-year/
Vocabulary:
1. parliament / noun : a legislative body in any of various other ｃountries.
2. permanent / adjective : existing perpetually; everlasting, especially without significant change.
3. disruption / noun : forcible separation or division into parts.
4. abolish / verb : to do away with; put an end to; annul; make void:
5. impose / verb : to lay on or set as something to be borne, endured, obeyed, fulfilled, paid, etc.:
6. prolong / verb : to lengthen out in time; extend the duration of; cause to continue longer:
7. facilitate / verb : to make easier or less difficult; help forward (an action, a process, etc.):
8. marginal / adjective : at the outer or lower limits; minimal for requirements; almost insufficient:
Questions:
1. What would each EU member state (ｃountry) have to decide on by 2021?
2. What would each ｃountry no longer be able to do?
3. Why did the EU Commission make this decision?
4. What complaints do people have about the EU Commission’s decision?
5. Why was Daylight Saving time first implemented?
6. What are some reasons for not keeping Daylight Saving time?
7. Which do you prefer among them, expalin your answer.
- permanent Daylight Saving time
- the current system
- eliminating Daylight Saving time
