European Commission: How EU citizens have voted for the time changeover

The European Commission has published preliminary results of online survey, which has been completed about two weeks ago, which it has held for possible abolition or retention of time change. After majority of participants (84 percent) had voted for an end to changeover between summer (CEST) and standard time known as winter Time (CET) in EU, Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker announced that his authority would have a corresponding Recommendation. However, European Parliament and EU states would still have to agree to a legislative proposal from Commission.

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The provisional figures presented by Commission now show online Abstimmungsergebnisse in individual EU Member States. It was also announced how much proportion of participants was in terms of total population in question.

Thus, participation in EU survey in Germany was proportionately highest: 3.79 percent of German population voted online. How many were in absolute terms was not mentioned by Commission. However, percentage shows that it must have been about three million people (see graph). Of m voted 84 percent for abolition of time conversion. This was largest in Austria (2.94 percent) and Luxembourg (1.78 percent). Significantly fewer people voted in UK (0.02 percent) and Italy and Romania (0.04 percent each). It was not even 8,000 Romanians and Romanians who participated. In France, according to Commission, 0.59 percent of population participated in survey, percentage was in midfield. This results in about 400,000 people – in absolute terms country is second behind Germany.

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This overview shows that survey cannot be considered representative because in all EU Member states overwhelming majority of people did not vote in online survey and number of participants was extremely different. However, since decision for or against abolition of daylight saving time in norrn and sourn EU countries would have different effects, differing opinions could be expected depending on country.

In 26 out of 28 EU member States, according to figures presented, participants voted to abolish time changeover. Only in Greece (56 percent) and Cyprus (53 percent) was a majority of participants – which does not represent majority of Greeks – for maintaining current regime.

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The European Commission has now also announced that most of participants in vote would have preferred to retain current summer time after abolition of time changeover. However, a detailed breakdown of this part of vote has not yet been published. On request of time online, on Friday evening on part of a Commission spokesman, se figures are not yet available. These and or figures for survey and official end result will be announced by Commission in coming weeks.

An analysis of EU Commission’s move to abolish time changeover and for a year-round summer time can be read here.