Real.gr – Company – The European Commission launches a public consultation with citizens and agencies on the summer time



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The European Commission has announced that it is launching a public consultation on the change of weather twice a year. The aim is to determine whether the public opinion in Europe wants to maintain or abolish the mandatory change of time every six months

. This change was instituted by the EU to take account of the Light evolution the available sun is better used. Citizens and organizations are now invited to express their point of view by completing an electronic questionnaire available in all EU languages ​​(also in Greek) by 16 August.

The consultation follows a resolution in February in the European Parliament, which states that "it is necessary to maintain a uniform European status regime, even after the abolition of the six-month changes in the # 39; s time. "

In addition to the European Parliament, several citizens and some EU Member States have asked the Commission to badess whether existing rules should change at the current time. Thus, the Commission wants to gather the views of European citizens and stakeholders on the issue.

Most EU Member States have long been implementing summer time arrangements dating back to the first and last World War II or the oil crisis of the 1970s. At that time, summer arrangements were aimed primarily at saving energy.

Other roles in the role of change over time, such as road safety, increase and harmonization of national practices with those of neighboring countries or major trading partners

The time arrangements of The current EU-level summer has been in place since the 1980s and is governed by the directive. 2000/84 / EC, which establishes the obligation for Member States to spend the summer on the last Sunday of March and return to the winter time on the last Sunday of the year. October. The aim of the EU was to consolidate the different national transition dates in the summer to ensure a harmonized approach to the evolution of time within the single market

The length of the day varies according to the geographical location of the Northern European countries have relatively large seasonal fluctuations in light available during the year, as they have dark winters with little sun and clear summers with little nights. In contrast, in southern Europe, the distribution of light hours between day and night is rarely changed during the year

Various studies have been conducted from time to time to evaluate the provisions of the summer time. According to the Commission, the following is apparent:

– Internal Market: a change of time not coordinated by the Member States would be detrimental to the internal market as it would entail higher costs for cross-border trade, problems in transport, Communications and Travel, and Productivity in the Internal Market for Goods and Services

– Energy: The total energy savings due to the summer time are marginal

– Health: Summer time provisions are estimated to have a positive impact impact badociated with the possibility of more outdoor recreation activities. On the other hand, the results of chronobiological research show that the effects on the human biorhythm can be more serious than previously thought. The balance of positive and negative impacts remains unclear

– Road safety: the relationship between summer time and the frequency of road accidents is not clear either. Sleep deprivation because watches turn an hour in the spring can increase the risk of an accident. On the other hand, most hours of sunshine during summer evenings are considered to have a positive impact on road safety.

– Agriculture: Previous Concerns About Animal Biorhythm Disorders and Changes in Milking Times Due to Hours have been largely eliminated through the use of new equipment, artificial lighting and technologies automated. An extra hour with light in summer can also be a very positive feature as it allows for extended working hours in outdoor activities such as work and harvesting.

Some Member States have recently raised the question of the summer hours with their letters to the Commission. Finland has called for the abolition of the six-month transition and Lithuania to review the current system

In its resolution, the European Parliament stressed the importance of maintaining a uniform status within the EU. 39; EU. the European Commission is committed to evaluating the two main options:

– to maintain the current EU summer time arrangements as defined in Directive 2000 / / 84 / EC or

– abolish the current transition of six months to the member state and a ban on periodic changes. Each Member State may decide to set a fixed summer or winter time.

SOURCE: RES-MEP

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