On Sunday morning at 03:00, the clocks will be turned back one hour, gifting us all an appreciated extra hour of sleep (or partying for those burning the midnight oil).
Belgium has been changing from summer to winter time since 1977. When introduced, the main aim of the system was to save energy by aligning daily routines with daylight hours. With energy consumption at the forefront of public and government thinking, this could bring some respite from excessive energy bills.
Opponents point to the disruption of biorhythms. According to a new study by traffic institute Vias, the switch to winter time also increases risks for vulnerable road users.
The times they aren't a-changin
In 2018, the European Commission proposed ending the seasonal time change, with surveys carried out in Member States showing that a large part of Europeans was supportive of this change. However, Member States were unable to come to an agreement on the matter and the time change system has stayed in place since. But should they wish, Member States can decide individually to drop the time change.
"No member state has officially communicated the preference for winter or summer time," MEP Hilde Vautmans said at the time. In Belgium, the Federal Government has yet to decide on the matter.
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A survey commissioned by the Belgian Prime Minister’s Office showed that the majority of the Belgian population (83%) favours stopping the seasonal time change. As for which ‘season’, 50% of respondents expressed a preference for wintertime while 45% were in favour of summertime; 5% were undecided.
Providing nothing changes, the clocks will change again in March.
