Seasonal clock changes in the EU

The proposal on seasonal clock changes

The European Commission tabled the draft directive on seasonal clock changes on 12 September 2018. The main elements of the proposal are:

• an end to biannual clock changes in all EU countries
• a notification system to be used by an EU country if it wishes to change its standard time

If adopted, the directive would end the biannual clock changes in the EU, often referred to as daylight saving time.

However no final decision has been taken on this matter and no timeline for such decision has been defined. The current system with one-hour clock changes, which extend daylight hours in summer, remains in place.

In the Council

The Council has not yet agreed its position on the proposal. To form a Council position, a qualified majority of member states is needed. Similarly, a qualified majority of member states would have to support the final text negotiated with the European Parliament.  

For its part, the European Parliament adopted its position on the proposal in March 2019. It voted in favour of ending daylight saving time in 2021.  

Both the Council and the European Parliament have to agree in order to pass the legislation needed to end the seasonal time changes.  

EU legislation on seasonal clock changes

Changing the clocks in spring and autumn in Europe is a habit that pre-dates the European Union. It was first introduced to save energy during the First World War and was re-introduced in many countries in the 1970s.

The EU first legislated on summer-time arrangements in 1980, with a directive that coordinated existing national practices to help ensure the smooth functioning of the single market.

The current directive entered into force in 2001. Under its provisions, all member states switch to summer time on the last Sunday in March and back to their standard time ('winter time') on the last Sunday in October.

Member states' standard time

Member states are free to decide which time zone they want to be in. There are currently three standard time zones in the EU:

• Western European Time: Ireland and Portugal
• Central European Time: 17 member states in this geographical area
• Eastern European Time: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania and Romania