Daylight saving time

Europe wants to stop switching to and from summer time. In many countries in America and Europe, use summer time during the summer for practical reasons. Other countries, in Africa and in Asia in particular, keep the same time all year.  Moreover, in countries near the Equator, changing time is useless. In Europe only Iceland does not switch time, since sunset and sunrise times change by many hours over the year and changing time would not have any meaningful effect.

The first reference to switching time was made by Benjamin Franklin in the 18th century. Its first practical application was during WW I to save energy but it was soon abandoned. Daylight saving time was adopted by most European countries during the 70s and it is still in effect. However, the European Union voted that from 2021 switching time will stop and each country must have decided by then which time will use, summer or winter.

Many scientists believe that switching time affects the biological clock of humans, as a small jet lag, and it can have negative effects in our lives (sleep disorders, decreased performance at work, heart problems, etc.). Another negative effect of switching time is a potential increase of road accidents. It may also impact business as well, as the time does not switch simultaneously in all countries. For example, this year the US switched to summer time 3 weeks earlier than usual.

Ultimately, by 2021 European countries will have to choose which time they will adopt, summer or winter, because time stability is probably more important than an one hour earlier sunrise or later sunset.