In the night from Saturday to Sunday we juggle time again in Belgium. At 3:00 am the clock is turned back one hour and we arrive at winter time for five months. It may be the last time that we can sleep an hour longer.
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Summer and winter time have been applied in Belgium since 1977. Its main purpose was to save energy: people can enjoy daylight longer. Opponents point to the disruption of the biorhythm. But the end of the tinkering with the watches is slowly approaching.
On a proposal from the European Commission, the European Parliament decided in March last year to abolish the six-monthly switch between summer and winter time in 2021. Specifically, the MEPs want all member states to switch to summer time for the last time in March 2021. Member States that prefer permanent winter time would then turn the clock back one hour in October of that year.
Abolish
The new federal government has yet to make a decision whether our country will permanently switch to winter or summer time. A survey conducted by the FPS Chancellery of the Prime Minister last year shows that the majority of Belgians (83 percent) are in favor of abolishing summer / winter time. If they have to choose, there is a slight preference for winter time (50 percent) over summer time (45 percent).
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