The issue of summer and winter time in the European Union.

Four years ago dn . books (and many other media) that daylight saving time was about to disappear. This has been proven wrong, so far. Just as with other decisions in which EU countries do not agree, the issue ended up in limbo.

Then, 2018, was the last year for Jean-Claude Juncker to take over the presidency of the European Commission. After all the problems with the euro crisis and the migration crisis, perhaps the Commission felt it needed to do something concrete that citizens would appreciate. Something like free roaming within the EU, or something like that.

In Finland there was one Citizen suggestion About the abolition of the time change arrived at the Swedish Parliament. It cannot make decisions on its own because summer and winter time (officially known as standard time) are coordinated at the level of the European Union. The matter passed to the European Commission.

A committee let’s do web survey Where 4.6 million residents responded. Most of them were from Germany for some reason, and the vast majority thought it was a good idea not to have to change the clock twice a year.

4.6 million are less than one percent of the European Union’s population. But it seems that the commission felt compelled to move quickly on this matter. A bit quick, can be seen later. The proposal was weak in the membership circle.

In September 2018, the committee submitted its proposal. In March 2019, the European Parliament agreed to abolish the time change. When the other legislative assembly of the European Union, the member states of the Council of Ministers, had to have their say, it stopped.

A large group of countries have questioned why the EU should change a system that they think works so well. In addition, ministers criticized the commission for suggesting that countries themselves be allowed to choose whether they want eternal summer time or eternal winter time. What if neighbors like the Netherlands and Belgium chose different times?

Jean Claude Junkers The commission resigned in the fall of 2019. Since then, the clock has stalled in the matter of time. No country, not even Finland, has followed this while as prime minister.

On January 1, Sweden takes over the presidency. EU Minister Jessica Roswell wrote in a short letter to DN that in order to remove the time change, it must first and foremost be accepted by member states.

She points out that “the last presidencies did not start such a process.”

Whether Sweden will do so, it asks to go back to when the work program is published at the end of the year.

Read more: Scientists warn that summer shifts will harm health