During the plenary session (25-28 March 2019) in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on the discontinuing seasonal changes of time. Extracts from the debate with statements by Marita ULVSKOG (S&D, SE), Rapporteur, Violeta BULC, Member of the EC in charge of Transport, Helmut SCHOLZ (GUE/NGL, DE), INTA Committee and Ulrike MÜLLER (ALDE, DE), AGRI Committee on the 25/03. Footage from the vote and illustrative shots.

ULVSKOG, Marita (S&D, SE)

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

vote

BULC, Violeta (SI, EC)

MÜLLER, Ulrike (Renew, DE)

summer-time arrangements (T)

Discontinuing seasonal changes of time: extracts from the debate (25/03) and from the vote, and illustrative shots

SOUNDBITE (Swedish), Marita ULVSKOG (S&amp;D, SE), Rapporteur, The whole purpose of doing it at the time it was introduced was that it was supposed to save energy. That's no longer the case however new technology and different ways of living mean that we no longer earn anything in fact so we don't save.

SOUNDBITE (Swedish), Marita ULVSKOG (S&amp;D, SE), Rapporteur, People that are affected are affected in different ways. Some sleep badly some people react very badly and they are very vulnerable groups such as young people the elderly those that have been on long term illness and those that have already physical or psychological problems and they are affected by these changes of the crop.

SOUNDBITE (Swedish), Marita ULVSKOG (S&amp;D, SE), Rapporteur,  The proposal is now that we should abolish the change of time in the autumn of 2021 which gives citizens the confidence that we've been listening and at the same time those that are affected are given clear notice and the internal market needs to have a good amount of time in hand to make the changes so that it doesn't have a negative fallout.

SOUNDBITE (Swedish), Marita ULVSKOG (S&amp;D, SE), Rapporteur, With this abolition the member states of the European Union will have to take a stance on what permanent standard time they wish to choose to have thereafter. And that obviously also has to be organized and coordinated. We must not have a patchwork quilt at the end of this have lots of different times in the EU.

SOUNDBITE (English), Violeta BULC, Member of the EC in charge of Transport, Available evidence suggested that the justification for the time change arrangement currently applicable have become irrelevant. And it is equally clear that their discontinuation would help to make people's life easier and deal with some health issues that have been related to the current system. The results of the commission's public consultation are very straightforward. Four point six million Europeans responded out of which 84 percent supported the abolishment of the clock change.

SOUNDBITE (German), Helmut SCHOLZ (GUE/NGL, DE), INTA, But it's for the member states now to decide and it's really up to them to avoid a patchwork. Will they be able to avoid that happening. I think I have major doubts and I hope that the Member States will respond swiftly to respect the will of the people and the will of the parliament as well which should be taken into account.

SOUNDBITE (German), Ulrike M&#220;LLER (ALDE, DE), AGRI, Member states must decide together. Do we wish in the EU to have a standard time or a summer time. Are we going to try and put a stop to having to change the clocks. That's good but we must have avoid having too many different times.

Vote on the report, the draft law is approved by MEPs with 410 in favour,192 against,51abstentions.

Illustrations on time change; timelapse, setting back the time, setting forward the time (6 shots).