DST in EU, ex-USSR, Mongolia & software

[Chris Carrier]

I would like to ask a question about EU daylight time: since the
directive defining the 'summer-time period' is for a limited
number of years, when does the directive expire?
 
Also, does anyone know what dates Russia and the rest of the CIS
will be observing daylight time on this year?  The World Almanac
gave March-September, changing on the 4th Monday but I was
thinking that Monday was probably in error and that I remember
they were using EU dates in the mid-80s (source: English
translation of PRAVDA) so they might be keeping DST until the end
of October this year as well.
 
About Mongolia.  I just called the AT&T international operator
and got a time of GMT+9 for Ulan Bator, and then asked if this
time was valid throughout Mongolia and got an affirmative
response.  I presume GMT+9 means GMT+8 with DST, probably on
whatever dates Russia is using.  (I also have seen time maps with
Mongolia in either one zone or split into three.  I presume that
both have been true at various times in their history.)
 
Mongolia came up recently in sci.astro; there is a group going
there for a total solar eclipse next month.
 
About time changes being automatically built into software, VCRs,
etc... I regard this as a very BAD idea, because DST rules
change.  (Thinking of many a system in the EU that is going to
change back at the end of September and can't be programmed for
the new directive...) Also there are places that don't use DST
such as Arizona or the EST part of Indiana and groups and
individuals who deliberately do not use local civil time.