In just a fewer months Poles can say goodbye to the ritual, which for years sets the rhythm of spring and autumn. We're talking about a seasonal change in time that could shortly be history. A bill by PSL-Third Way MPs is being passed in the Sejm, which assumes the resignation from the shift of watches and the permanent introduction of summertime time (UTC+2). If the regulations come into force, we will make the last change in October 2025, and since March 2026 Poland will stay permanently in 1 time zone.
The proposed change is more than just a substance of convenience. The project's authors call it a "change of civilization", arguing that the current strategy is an inefficient relic that does not adhere to the contemporary lifestyle. The bill's justification for the bill reads about negative wellness effects, regular rhythm disorders and additional costs for many sectors of the economy, from transport to finance. The decision that is to be made in the coming months will weigh on how our mornings and afternoons will look all year round.
No more switching watches. What precisely does the bill propose?
The bill tabled in the Sejm is circumstantial and provides for a precise timetable for action. The key presumption is permanent introduction of Central European summertime time in PolandUTC+2. That means we're gonna take our watches back from 3:00 a.m. on 2:00 a.m. Last Sunday. October 2025. Then, in March 2026, we will no longer make a conventional transition for summertime time – we will stay with it permanently.
The authors of regulations, MPs of the Polish People's Party-Third Way, emphasize that the seasonal change of time is an outdated solution that generates more problems than benefits. They indicate a number of technological studies confirming the negative wellness effects of watches. Sleep disorders, worsening of well-being, and even an increased hazard of heart attacks in the days following the change are just any of the wellness arguments. In addition, the task aims to destruct operating costs for companies that gotta adapt their IT systems and work schedules twice a year.
In practice, this means that in winter the sun will set an hr later than today. Reformists see this as an chance to extend the day, which can positively affect social activity and reduce seasonal temper declines.
More light in the afternoon or dark mornings? 2 Faces of Reform
The debate on permanent summertime time divides Poles and experts. Reformists paint a imagination of brighter afternoons, which would let them to enjoy daylight longer even on the shortest days of December and January. For many people, this means more time for outdoor activity after work or school, which could translate into improved overall well-being and intellectual health in hard winter months.
However, improvement besides has a second, much darker face. Adversaries inform that constant summertime time means utmost dark mornings in winter. In December, the sunrise in Warsaw would only take place around 8:40 p.m. and in the west of the country even after 9:00 pm. This means that children would go to school in full darknessAnd most adults would start a day's work without seeing the sun yet. This raises concerns about road safety and the negative impact on concentration and productivity in the first working hours.
The dispute so raises the fundamental question: do we as a society like brighter afternoons at the expense of dark mornings? The choice of 1 option inevitably involves giving up on the benefit of the other, which makes this decision highly complex.
Poland versus the remainder of Europe? Brussels silent, Warsaw works
The issue of eradicating the change in time is not fresh in Europe. As early as 2018, the European Commission, following a public consultation, proposed to abandon seasonal shifts across the European Union. The task gained the support of the European Parliament in 2019, nevertheless stuck in the EU Councilwhere associate States could not agree on the choice of a single time zone.
In the face of an impasse in Brussels, the Polish government decided to act unilaterally. The bill assumes that Poland will not wait for an EU-wide decision. If it is adopted, our country will be in the vanguard of the countries that have regulated it themselves. However, specified a decision may consequence in complications. deficiency of sync with neighbors specified as Germany can origin obstacles to global transport, logistics and coordination of cross-border services. For part of the year, we would have a different hr than our key trading partners.
However, the project's authors argue that the benefits of a unchangeable time for wellness and the economy outweigh the possible risks of a deficiency of coordination at European level. Time will show whether Poland's courageous step will become an inspiration to others or a origin of logistical chaos.
Political conflict for Time Takes Time
The discussion of changing time rapidly went beyond substantive arguments and became part of a political dispute. The opposition accuses the coalition of acting in haste and without looking at the global consequences. It is argued that specified an crucial change should be preceded by wider public consultation and coordinated with decisions at European Union level.
On the another hand, government supporters say that the improvement has been ready for years and has only waited for political will to implement. They stress that Brussels' inactivity cannot be an excuse to keep a harmful and outdated system. There is simply a heated debate in the network, in which supporters and opponents of the improvement struggle, and the discussion of time has become a symbolic battlefield for whether Poland should go its own way or wait for collective decisions of the full Community.
One thing is certain: the clock is ticking, and the decision will most likely be made in the coming months. Regardless of the outcome, the subject of time, which so profoundly affects the regular lives of millions of Poles, will proceed to dominate the public debate. The choice between a brighter way home and a brighter way to work will find our operation for years.
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The end of the change of time in Poland has already been established? The government wants to introduce permanent summertime time