Clocks across the European Union go back one hour on Sunday 25 October 2026 at 01:00 UTC. In Central Europe, 03:00 CEST becomes 02:00 CET, so that night is one hour longer. The switch still happens because the EU's summer-time directive remains in force: the 2018 plan to end seasonal clock changes has never been agreed by member state governments.

Exact times on 25 October 2026

Every member state switches at the same moment, 01:00 UTC, so local times differ:

  • Central European Time (Germany, France, mainland Spain, Italy, Poland and most other member states): 03:00 CEST goes back to 02:00 CET (UTC+1).
  • Eastern European Time (Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus): 04:00 EEST goes back to 03:00 EET (UTC+2).
  • Western European Time (mainland Portugal, Madeira, Ireland and Spain's Canary Islands): 02:00 summer time goes back to 01:00 (UTC+0).
  • Azores (Portugal): 01:00 goes back to 00:00 (UTC-1).

The UK, outside the EU, changes at the same instant (GOV.UK). Overseas territories of member states are excluded. The United States follows its own calendar and falls back on 1 November 2026 at 02:00 local time, so for one week New York is five hours behind Berlin instead of the usual six.

The next change is on Sunday 28 March 2027, when clocks go forward from 02:00 CET to 03:00 CEST. In March 2026 the Commission published the official schedule for 2027 to 2031; it already lists autumn changes up to 26 October 2031.

The rule behind the switch

Directive 2000/84/EC, adopted on 19 January 2001, says summer time begins at 01:00 GMT on the last Sunday in March and ends at 01:00 GMT on the last Sunday in October in every member state. It has no end date, and the Commission publishes the dates five years ahead. Until a new directive repeals it, the twice-yearly change is a legal obligation.

What happened to the plan to scrap it

A Commission public consultation in summer 2018 drew about 4.6 million replies, 84% of them in favour of ending clock changes. On 12 September 2018 the Commission tabled proposal COM(2018) 639, which would have ended seasonal changes in 2019 and let each country decide whether to stay on summer or standard time.

Since then the file has moved at different speeds:

  • European Parliament: adopted its first-reading position on 26 March 2019 by 410 votes to 192, with 51 abstentions, moving the end date to 2021, according to the Parliament's Legislative Train.
  • Council: in December 2018 transport ministers said they wanted an impact assessment and coordinated action before any political agreement. Talks stalled in 2019, and governments have not adopted a position since.
  • 2025 revival: the Polish Council presidency floated a two-year EU-wide trial of permanent summer time. On 20 October 2025 Spain used a meeting of EU energy ministers to call for an end to seasonal clock changes, with 2026 as the last year of switching, and Finland and Poland backed the call. Parliament held a plenary debate on 23 October 2025.
  • Commission: its 2026 work programme, adopted on 21 October 2025, kept the proposal on the list of pending files instead of withdrawing it.

A new study due by the end of 2026

After governments asked for more evidence, Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas announced a new impact study. A Council note dated 3 June 2026 says it was launched in February 2026, is run by Ecorys, Capgemini, Stratec and CE Delft, and should be completed by the end of 2026. It compares ten scenarios, from an EU-wide end to partly harmonised outcomes.

What would happen to time zones

Ending the switch would not put Europe on one clock. Under the proposal, each member state keeps the right to choose its standard time but must notify the Commission in advance. In practice, each government would pick permanent summer or permanent standard ("winter") time:

  • A Central European country on permanent summer time would stay at UTC+2 all year, with later sunrises in winter.
  • One on permanent standard time would stay at UTC+1, with earlier sunrises and sunsets in summer.
  • If neighbours chose differently, a new one-hour time border would appear between them. The Council note lists such borders, including with non-EU countries, among the effects the study must assess.

What comes next

For the clock change to end, the Council would first need a qualified majority for a common position, then agree a final text with Parliament, and member states would need time to notify their chosen time. None of those steps has a date as of October 2026, so the published schedule to 2031 remains the legal timetable. The next checkpoints are the study's results and the Commission's 2027 work programme, which will show whether the proposal stays on the table. We follow the file in our Policy section, and national positions in Capitals.

Frequently asked questions

Do clocks go forward or back on 25 October 2026?

Back. At 01:00 UTC, 03:00 CEST becomes 02:00 CET and 04:00 EEST becomes 03:00 EET.

Has the EU abolished daylight saving time?

No. As of October 2026, Directive 2000/84/EC still applies, and the 2018 proposal to end seasonal changes is still waiting for a Council position.

Will 2026 be the last year of clock changes?

Not on current evidence. Spain wanted 2026 to be the last year with clock changes, but no new law has been adopted, and the Commission's official schedule runs to October 2031.