Members of the European Parliament meeting in plenary session approved at first reading (410 votes in favour, 192 against, 51 abstentions) on Tuesday 26 March, the report by Marita Ulvskog (S&D, Sweden) as adopted by Parliament’s ‘Transport’ Committee on 4 March that calls for an end to the time change in 2021 (see EUROPE 12206/7).
The amendments aimed at rejecting the European Commission's proposal, offered by a number of MEPs, did not receive the support of their colleagues.
This vote echoes the European Commission's proposal of 12 September last (see EUROPE 12094/10), itself following a citizens' consultation that took place in the summer of 2018 (see EUROPE 12056/42). The institution then proposed that the last switch to summer time be made in March this year, before a possible last switch to winter time in October of the same year.
Inter-institutional negotiations ('trilogues') could not start during this mandate, as work was not progressing in the EU Council. A simple progress report was approved last December (see EUROPE 12151/6).
As a coincidence in the calendar, the next time change in the European Union will take place this weekend. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)