🇪🇺 When Do the Clocks Change in Europe?
Oct 25
Sunday, October 25, 2026 - clocks go back 1 hour (fall back).
At 3:00 AM CEST, clocks go back to 2:00 AM CET. You get an extra hour of sleep.
Europe (EU) clock changes - 2026 and 2027
| Year | Clocks go forward | Clocks go back |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunday, March 29, 2026 At 2:00 AM CET, clocks jump forward to 3:00 AM CEST. | Sunday, October 25, 2026 At 3:00 AM CEST, clocks go back to 2:00 AM CET. |
| 2027 | Sunday, March 28, 2027 At 2:00 AM CET, clocks jump forward to 3:00 AM CEST. | Sunday, October 31, 2027 At 3:00 AM CEST, clocks go back to 2:00 AM CET. |
Times are local. 2027 dates follow the current rules.
Where the clocks change
All 27 EU member states change at the same moment: 1:00 AM UTC. That is 1:00 AM in Portugal and Ireland, 2:00 AM in Central European countries such as Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands, and 3:00 AM in Eastern European countries such as Greece, Finland and Romania. The UK, Norway, Switzerland, Ukraine and most other non-EU European countries change on the same dates. Iceland, Belarus, Russia and Turkey do not change their clocks.
The EU has discussed ending seasonal clock changes since 2018, but no change has been adopted, so the twice-yearly switch continues.
The rule
Under EU Directive 2000/84/EC, summer time begins on the last Sunday in March and ends on the last Sunday in October, at 1:00 AM UTC in every member state.
Common questions
When do the clocks go back in Europe in 2026?
Sunday, October 25, 2026. In Central Europe clocks go back from 3:00 AM CEST to 2:00 AM CET.
When do the clocks go forward in Europe in 2027?
Sunday, March 28, 2027. In Central Europe clocks go forward from 2:00 AM CET to 3:00 AM CEST.
Is the EU abolishing daylight saving time?
Not so far. A proposal to end seasonal changes was put forward in 2018, but it has not been adopted.
Sources
Reference data reviewed September 25, 2026. Times computed from the IANA Time Zone Database, release 2026c.