PROPOSAL FOR A SEVENTH COUNCIL DIRECTIVE ON SUMMER-TIME ARRANGEMENTS
Date: 1993-09-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU policy, approximation of laws, common transport policy, communications policy, summertime

COMMISSION  OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

COM(93) 439 

final  - SYN469 

Brussels, 27 September  1993 

PROPOSAL FOR A SEVENTH COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 

ON SUMMER-TIME ARRANGEMENTS 

(presented  by  the Commission) 

PROPOSAL FOR A SEVENTH  COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 

ON SUMMER-TIME  ARRANGEMENTS 

EXPLANATORY  MEMORANDUM 

1. 

Summer time was introduced by most Member States in the seventies; others had introduced 

it even earlier. 

Community  legislation (first Council Directive of  1980) entered into force in 1981.  Its sole 

objective was progressively to harmonize the dates for the beginning and end of summer time. 

Community  law on the harmonization of the summer-time  period stemmed from the need to 

remove  the obstacles to the free movement  of  goods  and services  which differing  national 

summer-time  arrangements would create. 

2. 

This goal has been partially achieved in that the date on which summer time starts is the same 

throughout  the  Community,  whereas  the  ending  date  differs  since  Ireland  and the  United 

Kingdom availed themselves of the possibility afforded  by the sixth Directive to opt for the 

end of October rather than the end of September  like the other Member States. 

The Commission recognizes that this situation gives rise to disadvantages, in particular in the 

field of transport and communications.  So as to gather as much information as possible on 

the issue, it consulted the representatives of the economic sectors concerned by summer time. 

The vast majority of them favoured full harmonization of summer time, i.e.  a common date 

for beginning  summer time and a common date for ending it throughout the Community. 

The  Commission  also had a study  carried out  on  the  impact  of  having  different  dates  for 

returning to winter time and of the costs incurred.  The study revealed that over and above 

the numerous drawbacks for consumers and the sectors concerned, the identifiable costs are 

relatively low but they could increase once the Channel tunnel opens. 

3. 

Contacts with experts from the Member States have enabled the Commission to ascertain that 

the  Member  States  intend  to  maintain  summer-time  arrangements,  as  indeed  do  a  large 

number of non-member countries in Europe which also apply these arrangements in step with 

the Community. 

The  Commission  therefore  proposes  to  continue  working  towards  full  harmonization  and 

accordingly to fix the dates and time for the beginning and end of the summer-time  period 

after  1994  throughout  the  Community.  Similarly,  it  would  seem  appropriate  for  this 

arrangement to run for a longer period than before,  i.e.  four years.  Furthermore,  it appears 

from  the Commission  study  of  the  impact of  having different  dates  for returning  to winter 

time  that the end of  October would  be the most  appropriate date:  a Eurobarometer  survey 

carried out this spring  in all  Member  States  revealed  that European public opinion  is very 

much in favour of having summer time extended until the end of October. 

Nevertheless,  in view of certain essential technical requirements  to do in particular with the 

time needed to prepare passenger train timetables and assign take-off and landing slots, it is 

proposed  for  1995  and  1996 to maintain the status quo as set by  the current  Directive and 

introduce fully harmonized summer time end-dates from 1997. 

4. 

Since  the  measure  is  aimed  at  facilitating  the  provision  of  services  in  the  transport  and 

communications  sectors, it is an area where jurisdiction is shared. 

Directive 92/20/EEC of 26 March  1992 already provided for harmonization along the lines 

proposed  in  this  draft  directive.  All  Member  States  are  concerned.  At  a  meeting  of 

representatives of the Member States held on 27 May 1993 all Member States said they were 

in favour of maintaining the harmonized Community  arrangements. 

$ 

Pursuant to  Article 4  of  the sixth Directive  the  Council  shall  adopt by  1 January  1994the 

arrangements to apply from 1995 onwards. 

The proposed Directive  is based on Article  100a,  as was the case with the fourth, fifth and 

sixth Directives. 

The procedure for cooperating with the European Parliament must therefore be used. 

SEVENTH COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 

ON SUMMER-TIME  ARRANGEMENTS 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Economic  Community,  and  in  particular 

Article  100a thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission  ', 

In cooperation with the European Parliament2, 

Having  regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee  3, 

Whereas the sixth Council Directive 92/20/EEC of 26 March 1992 on summer time arrangements  4 

introduced a common date and time throughout the Community for the beginning of the summer-time 

period for  1993 and 1994 and, for the end of that period in those years, two different  dates, one for 

Member  States  other than Ireland and the United Kingdom  and another for Ireland and the United 

Kingdom; 

Whereas  it is  important for the functioning  of the internal market that a common date and time for 

both the beginning  and end of the summer-time  period should be fixed throughout the Community 

from 1995 onwards; 

4  OJ nr L 89, 4.4.92, p. 28 

Whereas,  with due  regard for  subsidiarity,  a Community  measure  is necessary  to ensure complete 

harmonization of the timetable with a view to facilitating transport and communications and reducing 

A 

the related costs; 

Whereas the most appropriate date for the end of the summer-time  period is the end of October and 

not the end of  September as in the past; 

Whereas the summer-time period should finish at the end of October; whereas, however, for technical 

reasons to do with the time needed by certain  transport sectors to adjust, summer time for  1995 and 

1996 should finish at the end of September; 

Whereas for those years the summer-time period should continue to end on a different date for Ireland 

and the United Kingdom; 

Whereas  Article 4  of the  sixth Directive  provides that the Council,  acting  on  a proposal from the 

Commission,  shall adopt before  1 January  1994 the arrangements to apply from 1995 onwards; 

Whereas,  for  geographical  reasons,  common  summer-time  arrangements  should  not  apply  to  the 

overseas territories of the Member States; 

Whereas  it  is  appropriate  to  re-examine  the  summer-time  period  from  time  to  time  and whereas 

provisions should therefore be adopted for  1995,  1996,  1997 and 1998, 

HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: 

! 
| 

Article 1 

For the purposes of this Directive,  "summer-time  period" shall mean the period of the year during 

which clocks  are put forward by 60 minutes compared with the rest of the year. 

Article 2 

In each Member State the summer-time period for  1995,  1996,  1997 and 1998 shall begin at 1 a.m. 

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) on the last Sunday in March,  i.e.: 

in  1995: on 26 March, 

in  1996: on 31 March, 

in  1997: on 30 March, 

in  1998: on 29 March. 

Article 3 

1. 

In each Member State the summer-time period for  1995,  1996,  1997  and  1998 shall end at 

1 a.m.  Greenwich Mean Time (GMT): 

in  1995: on the last Sunday in September,  i.e.  on 24 September, 

in  1996: on the last Sunday in September,  i.e.  on 29 September, 

in 1997: on the fourth Sunday in October,  i.e.  on 26 October, 

in  1998: on the fourth Sunday in October,  i.e.  on 25 October. 

2. 

However,  in Ireland and in the United Kingdom the summer-time period for  1995 and 1996 

shall  end at  1 a.m.  Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) on the fourth Sunday  in October,  i.e.: 

in  1995: on 22 October, 

in  1996: on 27 October. 

Article 4 

The  Council,  acting  on  a  proposal  from  the  Commission,  shall  adopt  by  1  January  1998  the 

arrangements to apply from 1999 onwards. 

Article 5 

This Directive shall not apply to the overseas territories of the Member States. 

Article 6 

The Member  States  shall  adopt  all  the laws,  regulations  and administrative  measures  necessary  to 

comply  with this Directive by 31 December  1994 at the latest.  They shall  immediately  inform the 

Commission  of the measures they have taken. 

When Member States adopt these provisions, they shall contain a reference to this Directive and shall 

be accompanied by such reference at the time of their official  publication.  The procedure for such 

reference shall be adopted by Member States. 

Article 7 

This Directive  is addressed to the Member States. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 

The President 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(93) 439 final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

12 

Catalogue number : CB-CO-93-482-EN-C 

ISBN 92-77-59382-2 

Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
L-2985 Luxembourg