The long argument about abolishing clock changes
The EU voted to abolish seasonal clock changes in 2019. Seven years later, nothing has changed — and the reason is more interesting than inertia.
What was actually decided
In March 2019 the European Parliament voted to end mandatory seasonal clock changes, leaving each member state to choose permanent summer or permanent winter time. The proposal then required agreement from the Council, and that is where it stopped.
Why it stalled
Because the choice is not neutral. If neighbouring countries pick differently, the EU ends up with a more fragmented time map than it has now — a real risk for a single market with heavy cross-border commuting. Coordinating 27 governments onto one answer proved harder than agreeing that changing clocks is annoying.
The American version
Several US states have passed laws adopting permanent daylight saving, but federal law does not currently permit it. States may opt out of daylight saving entirely — Arizona and Hawaii do — but they cannot unilaterally adopt it year-round. Federal bills to allow it have been introduced repeatedly and have not passed.
What each option would mean
| Option | Winter mornings | Summer evenings |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent standard time | Lighter | Darker earlier |
| Permanent summer time | Very dark until mid-morning | Light late |
| Status quo | Compromise | Compromise, plus two disruptive weekends |
Sleep researchers generally favour permanent standard time on circadian grounds; retail and leisure sectors generally favour permanent summer time. That disagreement, more than public opinion, is what keeps the status quo in place.
What it means for planning
Assume nothing changes. Build systems on the IANA database, which is updated when rules actually change, rather than on an assumption about what politicians will do.
The American picture, state by state
Federal law permits a state to leave daylight saving entirely but not to adopt it permanently. That asymmetry explains the current map:
- Already exempt: Arizona (except the Navajo Nation) and Hawaii.
- Laws passed, awaiting federal permission: around twenty states including Florida, California and Washington.
- Federal bills: the Sunshine Protection Act has been introduced repeatedly and has not become law.
The European picture
The 2019 parliamentary vote to abolish clock changes stalled in the Council. The obstacle was not public opinion — the consultation showed a clear majority in favour — but coordination. If neighbouring states pick different permanent offsets, the single market ends up more fragmented than it is today.
What each option would actually feel like
| Option | London, 21 December | London, 21 June |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent standard (GMT) | Sunrise 08:04, sunset 15:53 | Sunrise 03:43, sunset 20:21 |
| Permanent summer (BST) | Sunrise 09:04, sunset 16:53 | Sunrise 04:43, sunset 21:21 |
Permanent summer time in northern Europe means sunrise after 9am for weeks — the objection that sank the same idea when the UK trialled it between 1968 and 1971.
Planning assumption
Assume nothing changes, and build on the IANA database so that if something does, you inherit it rather than patch it.
Filed under Policy · Tags: daylight saving, policy, eu, us. Figures verified against the official definitions — see our editorial policy.