Norway’s northernmost region has proposed to introduce a 26-hour daytime zone in the region and has asked the European Commission for approval to implement this change. The unusual initiative is designed to promote local values, improve family time and attract new residents to the Arctic Circle region, which is close to the Russian border, on Wednesday, the 10th of April, reports Politico.
In a letter to the European Commission, which has confirmed that it has received the request, the region is asking the European Union (EU) body to order Norwegian authorities to approve
the creation of a time zone with 26 hours a day instead of 24 hours.
The proposal is still at an early stage, and it is not clear how it would work. Wenche Pedersen, Mayor of Vadsø, who proposed the idea, admitted that the logistics are not yet fully worked out.
“The clock will change from 12 to 13… and we’ll have to see how it goes. I don’t think they will say yes, so we haven’t worked out all the details,” she said.
According to Pedersen, the region is facing difficulties in attracting new residents. She hopes to change this by highlighting the region’s unique assets.
“Our MOREtime project aims to celebrate and promote this unique way of life by offering people the opportunity to spend quality time engaging in activities such as fishing, hunting, learning a new language or simply being with loved ones,” Vadsø was quoted as saying in a letter.
Pedersen hopes that by extending the length of the day, more people will be willing to move to the remote region, underlining the appeal of a lifestyle that
focuses on quality time with family and friends.
Moreover, with Russia’s war against Ukraine, it is “more important than ever” to ensure that the region is populated, Pedersen added.
Norway, although not an EU Member State, is part of the European Economic Area (EEA). Although daylight saving time is governed by an EU directive, the establishment of individual time zones remains a national competence.
According to a Commission official, time zones are decided by the countries themselves, so it is unlikely that the EU will be able to comply with the region’s request.
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