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The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, announced on Monday that he will propose to Brussels the elimination of the seasonal time change, a practice that for decades has marked the start of winter time in October and summer time in March. The proposal will be debated within the framework of the European Council, with the aim of it coming into force in 2026 if the Member States reach an agreement. According to Sánchez, changing the clocks twice a year ‘no longer makes sense’, as ‘it has little impact on energy consumption and negatively affects health’. The question, however, is not only whether to eliminate the change, but which time zone would be maintained throughout the year: summer (GMT/UTC+2) or winter (GMT/UTC+1). Each option has different implications for our daily lives, especially in territories such as the Balearics, where the sun and its timetable play a key role in both daily routines and the economy, which is closely linked to tourism. Two different realities: permanent summer or winter. If the decision were made to maintain summer time throughout the year, winter days would begin later. In Palma, for example, the sun would rise in the coldest months of the year at around 8:00 a.m. (and even later in January), which would mean sunrises in the middle of the working and school day. In return, we would enjoy more light in the afternoon, with sunsets arriving after 6:15 pm in the middle of December, which could benefit commerce, leisure and the feeling of a ‘long day’, even in winter. On the other hand, if winter time were to be maintained throughout the year, the situation would be the opposite: in winter, the sun would rise earlier (around 7:00 a.m. in Palma), making it easier to start the day with natural light. However, in summer it would get dark earlier: instead of enjoying sunlight until 9:30 p.m. as is currently the case, the sun would set around 8:30 p.m. This would mean fewer hours of daylight at the end of the day in the months when it is most enjoyed, especially in a community such as the Balearics, where outdoor tourism is essential. Beyond the clock: health, economy and lifestyle, experts in chronobiology tend to favour winter time as the most recommendable from a health point of view, as it is more in line with the natural rhythms of the human body. Sleeping, eating or working in natural light improves sleep quality and overall well-being. However, sectors such as hospitality, retail and tourism tend to prefer summer time, which extends the useful daylight hours in the afternoon, allowing for more economic activity. Surveys conducted in recent years show that a majority of Spaniards would prefer to keep summer time, although there is also a high percentage of undecided voters. The European Commission already proposed eliminating the time change in 2018, but the lack of consensus among member countries and the uneven impact on each territory slowed down the measure. In the case of the Balearics, there are particular factors to take into account: due to its geographical position, the region experiences sunrise and sunset earlier than other areas of mainland Spain. For now, nothing has been decided. On Sunday, 27 October, we will once again set our clocks back one hour, entering winter time. But if Sánchez’s proposal is successful in Europe, this could be one of the last changes. And with that, the question will no longer be whether to set the clock forward or back, but which sun we want to live with every day of the year.
