EU Maintains October 2026 Clock Change Amid Reform Delay

European Union governments will keep the seasonal clock change system after failing to reach agreement on reform, with the next winter time switch scheduled for October 25 2026 across member states under existing rules.

The change remains in place because the European Parliament vote to end the system has not been followed by approval from national governments in the Council of the European Union.

According to the European Commission consultation results from 2018, 4.6 million people responded and 84 percent supported ending the twice-yearly clock changes. The Parliament later approved a proposal on March 26 2019 with 410 votes in favor and 192 against.

The proposal delayed implementation until 2021 and allowed countries to choose between permanent summer time or permanent winter time. The Council has not reached a common position because governments differ over which option to adopt.

The issue returned to discussion in 2025 when Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez presented a proposal to end seasonal clock changes from 2026 during an Energy and Transport Council meeting in Luxembourg on October 20 2025.

According to L’EnerGeek, European Commissioner for Energy Dan Jørgensen supported ending the twice-yearly changes as the more logical approach. Finland and Poland also backed the initiative, while the Commission included the issue in its 2026 work program.

The current European directive from 2000 continues to govern the system, meaning clocks will move back one hour on the last Sunday of October 2026. According to Service Public, the change occurs at 3 a.m., when clocks return to 2 a.m.

The 2026 date is unusually early because October 31 falls on a Saturday, placing the final Sunday of the month on October 25. According to Selectra, the same calendar situation last occurred in 2020 and will not happen again until 2037.

Public opinion in France has also favored ending the practice. During a 2019 consultation by the French National Assembly, nearly 84 percent of participants supported stopping seasonal clock changes, while about 59 percent preferred permanent summer time.

Health specialists and chronobiologists have raised concerns about permanent summer time because France is already ahead of solar time by about one hour in winter and two hours in summer, according to the City of Paris.

Outside the European Union, countries including Iceland and Turkey have already stopped seasonal clock changes. According to Time Out Montréal, British Columbia in Canada announced in March 2026 that it would remain on permanent summer time.