MEPs back review into scrapping daylight-saving time

Shifting our clocks forward disrupts the human biorhythm, MEPs say.

A picture taken on February 5, 2018 shows a general view of the European Parliament | Frederick Florin/AFP via Getty Images

Summertime and the livin’ ain’t easy, MEPs could have sung Thursday, as the European Parliament called for an investigation into ending daylight-saving time on health grounds.

The practice of putting the clocks forward by an hour between March and October is decades old. But MEPs pointed to a parliamentary study published in October that showed the practice disrupts the human biorhythm — despite having benefits for the transport industry and reductions in energy consumption.

The Parliament urged the European Commission to carry out a “thorough assessment” of EU-wide summer time arrangements and “if necessary, a revision of the rules.” It also said the bloc should keep a unified time regime even if daylight-saving time is scrapped.

The response was hardly enthusiastic. Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc said there was little appetite in EU member countries for change, and urged the Parliament to also take into account the health benefits derived from more daylight.

Of the 549 MEPs who were present, 384 MEPs backed the resolution, and 153 voted against.

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