More than 80 percent EU citizens who voted in the online survey on daylight saving time rules were in favour of scrapping the current directive of changing the clocks twice a year, in summer and in winter, German Westfalenpost daily reported on Wednesday.

A record 4.6 million people voted in the largest survey in EU history, which was financed by the European Commission and lasted from June to mid-August 2018.

Under the current arrangements, EU countries move their clocks one hour forward on the last Sunday in March, and move them back on the last Sunday in October.

The majority of those who voted want the daylight saving time (summertime) to be introduced the whole year round, the daily said.

EU member states apply three different time zones: Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), Central European Time (GMT+1), and Eastern European Time (GMT+2).

Those in favour of abolishing the practice of changing the clocks twice a year say that the change has a negative effect on human biorhythm and results in a drop in work productivity, but also that it contributes to increases in traffic accidents.

Those in favour of keeping the existing practice say it helps conserve energy, because it enables more efficient use of natural light during summer months.

European Commission spokesman said his colleagues would take time to analyse the results before they address the public with official findings. The Commission had earlier said that the results would be published within weeks after the end of the survey on August 16.

Although the vote was not mandatory, the survey will be taken into account in the Commission’s deliberations on proposing new legislation. Any changes will need to be approved by the European Parliament and EU member states.

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