EU countries will spring ahead or fall behind for the last time in 2021 after the European parliament voted Tuesday to end daylight saving time in 2021.
Members of the parliament, which represents countries of the European Union, announced in a press release that member states can choose to adjust clocks by an hour for the final time on March 28, 2021, or on Oct. 31, 2021.
The decision comes after a 23-11 vote earlier this month by a parliamentary committee to scrap the twice-yearly clock change. The draft law passed this week by 410 members to 192 votes with 51 abstentions. In the approved draft, MEPs said that countries should coordinate their decisions so as not to “disrupt the internal market” in countries.
“If the Commission finds that the foreseen time arrangements could significantly, and permanently, hamper the proper functioning of the single market, it may submit a proposal to postpone the date of application of the directive by a maximum of 12 months,” they said.
An EU consultation of the public in 2018 found that 84 per cent were against daylight saving time.
Many jurisdictions around the world have hotly debated the tradition for years. Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump said making daylight saving time permanent was “O.K. with me!” British Columbia Premier John Horgan this month raised the issue, saying that he wanted to explore a unified time zone with California, Washington, and Oregon.
