Poland and EU explore alternatives to seasonal time changes

Discussions regarding the seasonal change of time are intensifying in Poland and the European Union. A new petition submitted to the Polish Senate by the ‘Można Lepiej’ Foundation proposes a compromise to end the biannual clock changes. Instead of choosing between permanent summer or winter time, the proposal suggests adopting a single, permanent time zone shifted by 30 minutes from the current system.

This would mean that if winter time is currently 7:00 and summer time is 8:00, the new permanent time would be 7:30 year-round. The authors argue this would be less disruptive than a full hour shift and noted that 30-minute time zones are used in other parts of the world.

At the European level, the European Commission has commissioned a multi-sectoral study, led by a consortium including Ecorys and Capgemini, to analyze the impacts of time changes. The results are expected by the end of 2026. One concept under consideration to mitigate the effects of seasonal shifts is the introduction of flexible working hours during the transition periods. While the European Parliament has previously supported abolishing seasonal changes, the issue remains subject to EU-wide regulation.