Most Europecentral Europeans set their clocks an hour ahead on Sunday as daylight saving time commenced in preparation for summer.
Screenshot_20250330-063828.png
This biannual time change has stirred controversy for years and was voted against in an EU consultation back in 2018. Typically, central Europe transitions from Central European Time (CET) to Central European Summer Time (CEST) in the summer months. In the UK, which is an hour behind, the clocks shift from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to British Summer Time (BST).
Originally implemented in Germany during World War I to extend evening daylight, the practice was reintroduced during World War II and later revived during the energy crisis of the 1970s as a measure to conserve power. Since then, Europe has adjusted its clocks twice a year. Why Is Daylight Saving Time Controversial?: The practice is divisive; supporters value the "extra hour" of daylight, while critics argue it disrupts sleep patterns and may negatively impact economic performance and public health. In 2018, an EU consultation revealed that nearly 4 million citizens favored abolishing daylight saving time. This led to a proposal that gained parliamentary support the following year, but the initiative faced opposition from several EU member states and has stalled. What Lies Ahead for Daylight Saving Time in Europe?: Poland, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, intends to revisit the issue despite recognizing resistance within the now 27-member bloc. "We plan to consult informally with member states to gauge the feasibility of advancing the proposal," stated the Polish presidency. However, some argue that addressing daylight saving time is a distraction for the EU, which is managing significant challenges such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine and tensions in international trade with the U.S.
Several countries, including Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia, Syria, Turkey, and Uruguay, have eliminated daylight saving time in the past decade, with only about a third of countries globally continuing to observe the practice, primarily in Europe. Egypt also abandoned the system in 2014, only to reinstate it in 2023 in an attempt to save energy.
*Edited by Bosman