EU directive

Thu Mar 29 11:44:29 UTC 2001

Since this doesn't seem to have been mentioned here yet: the latest Summer
Time Directive (Directive 2000/84/EC of the European Parliament and of the
Council of 19 January 2001 on summer-time arrangements) was published in
the Official Journal of the European Communities on the 2nd of February,
providing for dates of last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October on a
permanent basis.  No sign yet of an order being laid before Parliament to
implement this directive in the UK (due to be done by 31 December).

    http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/lif/dat/2000/en_300L0084.html 

   300L0084
   Directive 2000/84/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of
   19 January 2001 on summer-time arrangements
   Official Journal L 031 , 02/02/2001 P. 0021 - 0022

   Text:

   Directive 2000/84/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council
   of 19 January 2001
   on summer-time arrangements
   THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,  
   Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and
   in particular Article 95 thereof,
   Having regard to the proposal from the Commission(1),
   Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee(2),
   Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of
   the Treaty(3),
   Whereas:
   (1) The eighth Directive, 97/44/EC, of the European Parliament and of
   the Council of 22 July 1997 on summer-time arrangements(4) introduced
   a common date and time in all Member States, for the beginning and end
   of summer time in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001.
   (2) Given that the Member States apply summer-time arrangements, it is
   important for the functioning of the internal market that a common
   date and time for the beginning and end of the summer-time period be
   fixed throughout the Community.
   (3) Since the summer-time period considered most appropriate by the
   Member States runs from the end of March to the end of October, it is
   appropriate that that period therefore be maintained.
   (4) The proper functioning of certain sectors, not only transport and
   communications, but also other sectors of industry, requires stable,
   long-term planning. Provisions concerning summer time should therefore
   be laid down for an unspecified period. Article 4 of Directive
   97/44/EC provides, in that respect, that the European Parliament and
   the Council are to adopt, by 1 January 2001, the arrangements to apply
   from 2002 onwards.
   (5) For reasons of clarity and accuracy of information, a timetable
   for the implementation of the summer-time period for the following
   five years should be published every five years.
   (6) Implementation of this Directive should, moreover, be monitored by
   means of a report, to be presented by the Commission to the European
   Parliament, the Council and the Economic and Social Committee, on the
   impact of these provisions in all of the areas concerned. That report
   should be based on the information made available to the Commission by
   the Member States in sufficient time to enable the report to be
   presented at the specified time.
   (7) Given that the complete harmonisation of the timetable for the 
   summer-time period with a view to facilitating transport and
   communications cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States
   and can therefore be better achieved at Community level, the Community
   may take measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as
   set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. This Directive does not go beyond
   what is necessary to achieve those objectives.
   (8) For geographical reasons, the common summer-time arrangements
   should not apply to the overseas territories of the Member States,
   HAVE 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
   From 2002 onwards, the summer-time period shall begin, in every Member
   State, at 1.00 a.m., Greenwich Mean Time, on the last Sunday in March.
   Article 3
   From 2002 onwards, the summer-time period shall end, in every Member
   State, at 1.00 a.m., Greenwich Mean Time, on the last Sunday in
   October.
   Article 4
   The Commission shall publish a communication in the Official Journal  
   of the European Communities(5), for the first time on the occasion of
   the publication of this Directive, and every five years thereafter,   
   containing the timetable showing the dates on which the summer-time
   period will begin and end for the following five years.
   Article 5
   The Commission shall report to the European Parliament, the Council
   and the Economic and Social Committee on the impact of the provisions
   of this Directive on the sectors concerned by 31 December 2007 at the
   latest.
   That report shall be drawn up on the basis of the information made  
   available to the Commission by each Member State by 30 April 2007 at  
   the latest.
   The Commission shall, if necessary and following the conclusions of 
   the report, make appropriate proposals.
   Article 6
   This Directive shall not apply to the overseas territories of the
   Member States.
   Article 7
   Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and
   administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by
   31 December 2001 at the latest. They shall forthwith inform the
   Commission thereof.
   When Member States adopt those measures, they shall contain a
   reference to this Directive or be accompanied by such a reference on
   the occasion of their official publication. Member States shall
   determine how such reference is to be made.
   Article 8
   This Directive shall enter into force on the day of its publication in
   the Official Journal of the European Communities.
   Article 9
   This Directive is addressed to the Member States.
   Done at Brussels, 19 January 2001.
   For the European Parliament
   The President
   N. Fontaine
   For the Council
   The President
   B. Ringholm
   (1) OJ C 337, 28.11.2000, p. 136.
   (2) Opinion delivered on 29 November 2000 (not yet published in the
   Official Journal).
   (3) Opinion of the European Parliament of 12 December 2000 (not yet   
   published in the Official Journal) and Council Decision of 20 December
   2000.
   (4) OJ L 206, 1.8.1997, p. 62.
   (5) OJ C 35, 2.2.2001.

-- 
Joseph S. Myers
jsm28 at cam.ac.uk