COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
C0M(91) 253 final - SYN 351 
Brussels, 10 July 1991 
PROPOSAL 
FOR A SIXTH COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 
on summertime Arrangements 
(presented by the Commission) 
Explanatory Memorandum 
1. Summertime was introduced individually by the majority of Member 
States during the seventies; other Member States had introduced 
summertime earlier. 
Community legislation (First Council Directive of 1980) applied 
from 1981 onwards and its sole objective was progressively to 
harmonise the dates and time for the beginning and end of the 
summertime period. 
The Community law on the harmonisation of the summertime 
arrangements came as a result of the need to suppress the obstacles 
which the differing national summertime arrangements would create 
to the free movements of goods and services. 
2. Up to now this goal was achieved except in the cases of Ireland and 
the United Kingdom where the end date of summertime still differs. 
The Commission recognises that this situation gives rise to 
disadvantages in particular in the field of transport and 
communications. For some time now, the British and Irish 
Governments have started to consider the possibility of joining the 
Central European Time. Given that the present Directive is 
foreseen to last two years, the Commission thinks that it would be 
appropriate to allow the two Member States concerned to have the 
possibility to settle the question of the end date at a national 
level. 
3. With regard to the different arguments concerning the impact of 
summertime and in particular its possible negative effects, the 
Commission has, during recent years, received an increasing number 
of complaints from individuals and pressure groups against 
summert ime. 
The Commission, on the basis of studies on the advantages and 
disadvantages of summertime executed by independent consultants, 
has consulted Member States' experts to examine the question. It 
appeared that Member States had no intention to abandon summertime 
at least for the next few years. Under these circumstances the 
Commission proposes to fix dates and time for the beginning and end 
of the summertime period for the years 1993 and 1994 for the whole 
of the Community. 
4. According to Article 4 of the present Fifth Directive the Council 
shall adopt by 1 January 1992 the arrangements to apply from 1993 
onwards. 
The proposed Directive is based on Article 100A as was the case 
with Fifth Directive. 
The cooperation procedure with the European Parliament is therefore 
required. 
•SUTM COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 
on summert ime arrangements 
THE CQUNC IL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUN IT I ES, 
Having r*gard to the Treaty es tabItsshi rig the European Economic 
Community/and in parrticular Art ic le 400A thereof, 
Waving regard to the proposa I >from the Commission1• 
In cooperation with the European Paruament2-
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee3 
Whereas the Fifth Council Directive 89/47/EEC of 21 December 1988 on 
summertime arrangements4- introduced- a common date and time throughout 
the Community for the beginning of the summertime period for 1990, 1991 
and 1992 and, for the end of that period in these years, two different 
dates, one for Member States apart from Ireland and the United Kingdom 
and one for Ireland and the United Kingdom, 
Whereas for as long as Member States apply summertime arrangements, it 
Is important for the establishraent and functioning of the internal 
market that a common date and time for both the beginning and end of 
the summertime period should be fixed in the who Ie Community area from 
1993 onwards, 
Whereas, for geographical reasons, Ireland and the United Kingdom 
should be afforded the possibility of fixing, during one or both of 
those two years, an end date for summertime different from that 
provided for the other Member States; 
Whereas Article 4 of the Fifth Directive provides that the CounciI, 
acting on a proposal of the Commission, shall adopt by 1 January 1992 
the arrangements to apply from 1993 onwards, 
1. 
2. 
3. 
4. JO L 17, 21.1.1989, p. 57 / 
Whereas, for geographical reasons, common summertime arrangements 
should not apply to the overseas territories of the Member States, 
Whereas it is appropriate to re-examine the summertime period from time 
to time and for this purpose arrangements should therefore be adopted 
for 1993 and 1994, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: 
Article 1 
For the purposes of this Directive the expression "summertime period" 
means the period for the year during which the time is advanced by 60 
minutes in relation to the time for the rest of the year. 
Ar t i cIe 2 
Member States take the measures necessary to ensure that in each Member 
State the summertime period for 1993 and 1994 begins at 1 a.m. 
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) on the last Sunday in March, that is to say: 
in 1993: on 28 March, 
in 1994: on 27 March 
Article 3 
1. Member States shall take the measures necessary to ensure that in 
each Member State the summertime period for 1993 and 1994 ends at 1 
a.m. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) on the last Sunday in September, that is 
to say: 
in 1993: on 26 September, 
in 1994: on 25 September. 
2. Ireland and the United Kingdom may, however, take the measures 
necessary to ensure that the summertime period for 1993 and 1994 ends 
at 1 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) on the fourth Sunday in October, 
that is to say: 
in 1993 : on 24 October, 
in 1994 : on 23 October, 
3. Should Ireland and the United Kingdom decide, before 1994, to bring 
the end of their summertime period into line with the dates provided 
for in paragraph 1, they shall notify the Commission, which will inform 
the other Member States thereof. 
Art icle 4 
The Council, acting on a proposal from the Commission, shall adopt by 1 
January 1994 the arrangements to apply from 1995 onwards. 
Art icle 5 
This Directive shall not apply to the overseas territories of the 
Member States. 
Art icle 6 
This directive is addressed to the Member States 
Done at Brussels, 
For the Counci 
The President 

ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(91) 253 final 
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Catalogue number : CB-CO-91-315-EN-C 
ISBN 92-77-74405-' 
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