The vast majority of residents of EU states spoke in favor of abandoning the switch to summer and winter time
As "Russkaya Germaniya" notes, the official results of the vote on abolishing the clock change have not yet been published, but according to unofficial data, 4.6 million people took part in the survey, and about 80% of participants supported abandoning the regular clock change twice a year. Europeans were asked which time the clocks should stop at permanently – winter or summer: the majority supported keeping summer time.
Juncker plans to put the issue up for discussion in the leadership of the European Commission. It is expected that on September 12, the President of the European Commission will announce the start of a legislative initiative to abolish the switch to winter and summer time. The corresponding EU decision must be approved by the European Parliament and the national legislative bodies of EU member states.
The consent of EU legislators is almost guaranteed, but there is not yet full unity among the participants of the European community: a number of countries have not decided on their position. Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke in favor of abandoning the switch to winter and summer time: for her personally, "the issue has a high priority."
Once upon a time, the initiative to change the clocks twice a year was justified by energy savings. In Germany, clocks began to be changed in 1980; in a number of other European countries, the switch to summer time was approved much earlier.
The clock change has long caused complaints and, as shown by the high activity of participants in the internet survey, has not gained popularity among Europeans, who consider the switch to summer and winter time a useless grimace of civilization. Many of us believe that changes in the daily rhythm pose a significant risk to the health of people and animals.
There is statistics indicating a 30% increase in the number of road accidents in the first week after the clock change. Statistically confirmed increases in insomnia and depression, and an increase in visits to doctors in the first time after the time change. Moreover, recent studies refute assumptions about significant energy savings as a result of changing clocks twice a year.
Most likely, the abandonment of the switch to summer and winter time will be approved throughout Europe within the next six months, and if national legislators hurry, we may not have to turn the clocks back this coming autumn.