[LEAPSECS] one signature brings UTC to US

[SJ Kissane]

On 10/08/07, Clive D.W. Feather <clive at demon.net> wrote:

> Magnus Danielson said:

> >> However, there isn't a problem: Sweden switches from UTC+1 to UTC+2 at

> >> 01:00:00 GMT (which is somewhere between 01:59:59 and 02:01:01 local time).

> > You are even missing the point. It was also prepared by the Swedish Govrement,

> > and I think they had their law-text written up as they wished it to be.

> >

> > It *IS* UTC and switches on UTC time.

> >

> > Don't complain on the Swedish realization and laws, complain on the incompetent

> > translators of EU instead. You are barking up the wrong tree here!

>

> No, I'm afraid you are.

>

> The Directive clearly states that the transition happens *throughout the

> EU* [1] at 01:00 GMT. The Swedes can't pick a different time to make the

> change, no matter what their local time is [2], any more than they could

> pick a different date or do it at 03:00 GMT. This is not a translation

> error.

Yes, but given that directives (as opposed to regulations) lack direct
effect, if Swedish law & EU directives conflict, Swedish law takes
priority -- the European Commission can reprimand Sweden or take it to
court if they wish, but until they convince Sweden to change the law,
the Swedish law applies (in general), not the directive. (Not that the
Commission would actually bother with a fiddly issue like this.)

-SJ