The countries of the European Union switch back to standard time tonight, continuing a twice-yearly change that was supposed to have ended by now with.
Five years after the EU began a public consultation on ending the time switch and four years after public buy-in overwhelmingly in favor of ending it, and two years after it was meant to end, the deed is still not done. Approved by the EU Parliament and the EU Commission, the plan has stalled over approvals by the member countries.
For a start, there's no agreement among the countries on whether to have permanent summer time or permanent winter time. In some countries, especially in sunnier southern area, support for dropping the change or keeping winter time is weak, while northern countries have generally favored it. And, with Britain's exit from the EU, it could leave Ireland, an EU member, and northern Ireland in different time zones half the year.
The future for the proposal? Perhaps its time to check the clock again!
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