The European Union has yet to reach an agreement on ending the practice of seasonal clock changes, despite a proposal on the issue being on the table for seven years.
Although the European Parliament approved a decision to abolish the time change, EU member states have not reached a consensus on whether to adopt permanent summer or winter time.
“In 2018, we proposed stopping seasonal clock changes, but the issue has stalled in the EU Council,” said Ana Kaisser, spokesperson for the European Council. “Based on feedback from the European Parliament, member states, and experts, the European Commission decided to leave the choice to individual countries. We still believe a coordinated solution is possible.”
Under the 2018 European Commission directive, member states can choose between winter or summer time, but once decided, it would remain unchanged year-round.
Currently, the EU operates under three standard time zones, with the majority of member states—17 in total—falling within Central European Time, the same as most Western Balkan countries.
