PEOPLE'S HEALTH NEGLECTED Daylight saving time shifts while the European Union's geopolitical clock continues to lag

By: A. Čorbo-Zećo

We shifted the clocks, and shifting the clocks, especially in spring, disrupts the biological rhythm and sleep, which can cause fatigue, reduced concentration, headaches, and even increase the risk of cardiovascular problems due to losing an hour of sleep.

And I am sure that most citizens feel the consequences of the last clock shift. Why am I writing this? The answer is simple: while BiH is trying in every way to align its legislation with Brussels', the European Union is unable to reach a consensus on the most important issue – people's health!

For years, the European Union has been arguing about an issue that is clear to most experts: seasonal clock changes harm citizens' health. It is difficult not to notice how this “inability to agree” casts a shadow on its international credibility.

While France and Poland are pushing for permanent summer time, and Finland and the Netherlands are sticking to the winter rhythm which supposedly better suits people's biological clocks, the EU as a whole remains paralyzed. Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to follow the double annual clock shifts, while Spain is increasingly calling for an end to this “outdated and disruptive practice”.

If the European Union cannot align its member states on something so trivial, yet significant for the daily lives of millions of citizens, it is easy to imagine how difficult it will be to align positions on serious issues such as military alliances, defense strategies, or geopolitical threats.

Countries like Russia, Turkey, China, or Japan have not been wasting energy and nerves on double clock changes for years. The EU continues to prove how its internal division and insecurity are reflected in its foreign policy position. If they cannot stand behind one simple solution that would make life easier for citizens, what can we expect when it comes to negotiations on security, energy, or international crises?

Seasonal shifts may seem like a small thing, but in a symbolic sense, they show how Europe today moves in a fragmented and sluggish manner in a world where speed, decisiveness, and a common stance are not a luxury but a necessity. While the clocks are still shifted twice a year, the European Union's geopolitical clock continues to lag.