Europe’s twice-yearly clock changes continue despite strong public support for abolition and the European Parliament’s endorsement of reform. On 25 October 2026, clocks in most of central Europe will be turned back from 3 am to 2 am, ending summer time. Those not working overnight can gain an extra hour’s sleep, while daylight will begin earlier in the morning and darkness will arrive earlier in the evening. The seasonal cycle also involves moving clocks forward in spring.
In an EU-wide consultation in 2018, 84% of respondents favoured ending the practice. The following year, the European Parliament approved a European Commission proposal by 410 votes to 192, with abolition originally intended to take effect in 2021. However, the final legislation still requires member states’ approval. Governments have been unable to agree on whether summer time or winter time should become permanent. Since differing national arrangements could create economic and organisational difficulties, implementation remains suspended pending a common solution. The COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine also pushed the issue down the political agenda, making abolition unlikely in the near future.
The current arrangements have roots in earlier efforts to conserve energy and coordinate national time systems. France introduced summer time in 1976 in response to the oil crisis, aiming to reduce energy use. West Germany and other EU countries followed in 1980 to align their clocks. The energy-saving justification is now widely regarded as outdated.
