Italy returns to concretely discuss the possibility of adopting permanent summer time. Today, November 17, a fact-finding investigation promoted by the Italian Society of Environmental Medicine (Sima), Consumerismo No Profit and the deputy Andrea Barabotti will begin in the Chamber of Deputies. The initiative garners strong popular support: over 353 thousand signatures will be deposited online in favor of canceling the seasonal time change. The investigation will evaluate energy, environmental, health and social effects with the aim of arriving at a concrete regulatory proposal by June 2026.
A topic of European scope
The debate over the time change is not new. In 2018, the European Commission launched a public consultation with 4.6 million participants, of which 84% expressed their opinion in favor of abolishing the transition between solar time and summer time. In 2019 the European Parliament approved a directive to allow member states to freely choose their permanent timetable, but the dossier remained pending. Now Italy is trying to take a step forward, supporting a more structured national debate.
Energy savings and economic effects
According to the promoters, from 2004 to 2025 the adoption of seasonal summer time resulted in savings of 2.3 billion euros and over 12 billion kWh, with an annual cut of 160-200 thousand tons of CO₂. Estimates indicate that permanent summer time could generate a further 720 million kWh of saved energy and an economic benefit of around 180 million euros per year, with positive repercussions on trade, tourism and catering, thanks to longer and brighter days.
Impacts on health and safety
In addition to energy and environmental benefits, adopting year-round daylight saving time could improve public health. The transition between summer and winter time alters circadian rhythms, influencing sleep, mood and blood pressure. Studies also indicate an increase in road and workplace accidents in the days following the time change, as well as a possible increase in crimes in the hours of darkness in the evening.
Parliament’s next steps
The fact-finding investigation involves hearings of experts, academics and institutional representatives. The legislative process will be long, but Italy could become one of the first European countries to transform the proposal into law, making summer time permanent and putting an end to the usual seasonal movement of the hands.
You might also be interested in:
