Daylight saving time in Europe: clock change dates
Europe moves the clocks forward one hour on the last Sunday in March and back one hour on the last Sunday in October, at 01:00 UTC everywhere at once. The next change is Sunday, October 25, 2026, when Europe goes back to winter time.
Dates
| Year | Summer time starts (forward) | Winter time starts (back) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunday, March 29 | Sunday, October 25 |
| 2027 | Sunday, March 28 | Sunday, October 31 |
| 2028 | Sunday, March 26 | Sunday, October 29 |
| 2029 | Sunday, March 25 | Sunday, October 28 |
What the change looks like in each time zone
| Cities | Time now | Zones | March | October |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London, Dublin, Lisbon | WET/GMT → BST/WEST | 01:00 → 02:00 | 02:00 → 01:00 | |
| Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Rome, Amsterdam | CET → CEST | 02:00 → 03:00 | 03:00 → 02:00 | |
| Athens, Helsinki, Kyiv, Bucharest | EET → EEST | 03:00 → 04:00 | 04:00 → 03:00 |
The change happens at the same instant across the continent, 01:00 UTC, so it's 1 a.m. in London, 2 a.m. in Paris and 3 a.m. in Athens when the clocks move in spring.
Who changes and who doesn't
Change twice a year: all 27 EU countries, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, the Faroe Islands, Ukraine, Moldova, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo.
Same time all year: Iceland (UTC+0), Russia (Moscow UTC+3), Belarus (UTC+3), Turkey (UTC+3), Georgia (UTC+4), Armenia (UTC+4) and Azerbaijan (UTC+4).
Will Europe stop changing the clocks?
In 2018 the European Commission proposed ending seasonal clock changes after a public consultation drew 4.6 million responses, most in favour. The European Parliament approved it in March 2019, but the plan also needs the member states in the Council, and they have never agreed on whether to stay on permanent summer or winter time, or how to avoid a patchwork of time zones. Until they do, the twice-yearly changes continue.
Questions people ask
When do the clocks change in Europe in 2026?
Clocks went forward one hour on Sunday, March 29, 2026, and go back one hour on Sunday, October 25, 2026. All EU countries, the UK, Norway and Switzerland change at the same moment, 01:00 UTC.
When is the winter time change in Europe?
On the last Sunday in October: October 25, 2026 and October 31, 2027. Clocks go back one hour, so 3:00 a.m. becomes 2:00 a.m. in Paris and Berlin, and 2:00 a.m. becomes 1:00 a.m. in London.
When does summer time start in Europe?
On the last Sunday in March: March 28, 2027 and March 26, 2028. Clocks go forward one hour.
Which European countries don't change their clocks?
Iceland, Russia, Belarus, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan stay on the same time all year. Every EU country, plus the UK, Norway, Switzerland, Ukraine, Moldova and most of the Balkans, changes twice a year.
Is Europe getting rid of daylight saving time?
Not yet. The European Parliament voted in March 2019 to end seasonal clock changes, but EU governments never agreed on whether to keep summer or winter time, so the proposal is stalled and the changes continue.
Why do Europe and the US change on different dates?
The US changes on the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November; Europe on the last Sundays of March and October. For a few weeks each spring and fall the time difference between New York and London is 4 hours instead of 5.
Related: did the clocks go back? · what time is it in Europe? · clock changes worldwide · daylight saving time · CET time
Last updated October 23, 2026. Dates follow EU Directive 2000/84/EC.