Time change, Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez: 'Moving the hands twice a year no longer makes sense'

The history of the time change

The idea of changing the time with the seasons is even traced back to Benjamin Franklin, who in an article published in 1784 suggested moving the hands forward during the summer to make better use of daylight hours and save candles.

This proposal did not find application until more than a century later, when several European countries first adopted daylight saving time during the First World War.

In Italy, it first came into force in 1916 until 1920, was then suspended and reinstated during the Second World War, until it became stable from 1966.

At the European level, the system was coordinated in 1980 and since 2001, an EU directive makes it compulsory for all member states to move their hands forward on the last Sunday in March and backward on the last Sunday in October. The system is now in place

The effects

The time change was born with a practical aim: to save energy by reducing the consumption of artificial lighting through a better use of sunlight.

According to Terna data, 340 million kWh will be saved in Italy in 2024 thanks to summer time, equivalent to the average annual requirements of around 130 thousand households. This translates into an economic saving of more than 75 million euros.

Daylight saving time also has positive effects on the environment: the reduction in electricity consumption has cut carbon dioxide emissions, avoiding the emission of around 160,000 tonnes of CO₂ into the atmosphere.

Today, however, these benefits are increasingly being questioned. With his appeal in X, Pedro Sánchez has brought to light a position that the energy benefits are not so significant, while the impact on people's circadian rhythm is significant, with effects on health and productivity.

"Science says that the change does not bring benefits in terms of energy savings and instead causes disturbances to biological rhythms," the Spanish premier reiterated from his X account.

The debate in Europe

The debate on the time change has been dividing the European Union for years. In 2018, the Commission led by Jean-Claude Juncker had launched a public consultation in which 4.6 million citizens participated: 84% were in favour of abolition (among Spaniards, the consensus reached 93%).

Now Spain wants to reopen the debate, but a qualified majority in the Council is needed to proceed: at least 15 out of 27 states or countries representing 65% of the European population. Supported by Commission Vice-President Teresa Ribera, Sánchez aims to bring back to the centre of the debate an issue that, after years of stalemate, is back on the negotiating table.