MEPs of the European Parliament's Transport Committee on Monday 21 January expressed mixed opinions on the issue of the end of the time change during a debate on the draft report (see EUROPE 12171) by Marita Ulvskog (S&D, Sweden).
This draft report echoes the European Commission's proposal of 12 September last (see EUROPE 12094).
As a reminder, in this draft report, Mrs Ulvskog is in line with the European Commission's proposal committing to end the time change, but the timetable envisioned is different. For example, the Swedish MEP advocates ending the biannual change two years after the entry into force of the directive, when the Commission recommended that the last time change should take place this year. Mrs Ulvskog wishes, by this suggestion, to give economic operators, particularly in transport, time to make their arrangements.
The Member's draft report was welcomed by the various shadow rapporteurs present during this debate, namely Pavel Svoboda (EPP, Czech Republic), Kosma Złotowski (ECR, Poland), Izaskun Bilbao Barandica (ALDE, Spain) and Jakop Dalunde (Greens/EFA, Sweden). This, despite some remarks, Mrs Bilbao Barandica wishing, for example, to clarify the Commission's role in the transition process or considering a deadline for transposing the higher directive.
Gesine Meissner (ALDE, Germany), who welcomed the proposal, expressed her support for winter hours as the reference time.
On the other hand, several parliamentarians expressed their scepticism or even opposition at the end of the time change. Wim van de Camp (EPP, Netherlands) wanted to keep the current system, and cited the benefits for sports associations in the Netherlands.
Peter van Dalen (ECR, Netherlands), who considers that reviewing such a proposal is a waste of time and money, described it as a “mere farce”. Dominique Riquet (ALDE, France), concerned about potential disorder due to a possible patchwork of slots within the EU, called for the proposal to be referred back to the Commission.
Finally, Andor Deli (EPP, Hungary) stressed that the point of view of each Member State depended on its geographical location, much like the debate held at the end of October between Transport Ministers in Graz (see EUROPE 12127). At the EU Council, fittingly, the Member States were only able to adopt a progress report on this subject last December (see EUROPE 12151). (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)