Index: /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/tools/date/DateUtils.java
===================================================================
--- /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/tools/date/DateUtils.java	(revision 9393)
+++ /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/tools/date/DateUtils.java	(revision 9394)
@@ -303,3 +303,11 @@
         return getDateTimeFormat(dateStyle, timeStyle).format(datetime);
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Allows to override the timezone for unit tests.
+     * @param zone the timezone to use
+     */
+    protected static void setTimeZone(TimeZone zone) {
+        calendarLocale.setTimeZone(zone);
+    }
 }
Index: /trunk/test/unit/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/layer/geoimage/CorrelateGpxWithImagesTest.java
===================================================================
--- /trunk/test/unit/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/layer/geoimage/CorrelateGpxWithImagesTest.java	(revision 9393)
+++ /trunk/test/unit/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/layer/geoimage/CorrelateGpxWithImagesTest.java	(revision 9394)
@@ -13,4 +13,5 @@
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.io.GpxReaderTest;
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.tools.date.DateUtils;
+import org.openstreetmap.josm.tools.date.DateUtilsTest;
 
 /**
@@ -24,5 +25,5 @@
     @BeforeClass
     public static void setUp() {
-        TimeZone.setDefault(TimeZone.getTimeZone("UTC"));
+        DateUtilsTest.setTimeZone(TimeZone.getTimeZone("UTC"));
     }
 
Index: /trunk/test/unit/org/openstreetmap/josm/tools/ExifReaderTest.java
===================================================================
--- /trunk/test/unit/org/openstreetmap/josm/tools/ExifReaderTest.java	(revision 9393)
+++ /trunk/test/unit/org/openstreetmap/josm/tools/ExifReaderTest.java	(revision 9394)
@@ -11,8 +11,10 @@
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.GregorianCalendar;
+import java.util.TimeZone;
 
 import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.data.coor.LatLon;
+import org.openstreetmap.josm.tools.date.DateUtilsTest;
 
 /**
@@ -31,4 +33,5 @@
         directionSampleFile = new File("data_nodist/exif-example_direction.jpg");
         orientationSampleFile = new File("data_nodist/exif-example_orientation=6.jpg");
+        DateUtilsTest.setTimeZone(TimeZone.getTimeZone("Europe/Berlin"));
     }
 
Index: /trunk/test/unit/org/openstreetmap/josm/tools/date/DateUtilsTest.java
===================================================================
--- /trunk/test/unit/org/openstreetmap/josm/tools/date/DateUtilsTest.java	(revision 9393)
+++ /trunk/test/unit/org/openstreetmap/josm/tools/date/DateUtilsTest.java	(revision 9394)
@@ -4,5 +4,4 @@
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 
-import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.TimeZone;
 
@@ -17,9 +16,9 @@
 
     /**
-     * Setup test.
+     * Allows to override the timezone used in {@link DateUtils} for unit tests.
+     * @param zone the timezone to use
      */
-    @BeforeClass
-    public static void setUp() {
-        TimeZone.setDefault(TimeZone.getTimeZone("GMT+8:00"));
+    public static void setTimeZone(TimeZone zone) {
+        DateUtils.setTimeZone(zone);
     }
 
@@ -45,4 +44,5 @@
     @Test
     public void testExifDate() {
+        setTimeZone(TimeZone.getTimeZone("GMT+8:00")); // parsing is timezone aware
         assertEquals(1443038712000L - 8 * 3600 * 1000, DateUtils.fromString("2015:09:23 20:05:12").getTime());
         assertEquals(1443038712888L - 8 * 3600 * 1000, DateUtils.fromString("2015:09:23 20:05:12.888").getTime());