Europe will switch to winter time on Sunday, 25 October 2026, with clocks set back one hour at 3 a.m. local time in most countries.

The change applies across the European Union under Directive 2000/84/EC, which mandates the shift to standard time on the last Sunday of October. Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Greece, and Slovenia are among the countries confirming the adjustment, with official notices citing the EU rule requiring clocks to move from 3 a.m. to 2 a.m.

The EU has debated ending the twice-yearly clock change since 2018, when a public consultation found 84% support for abolition. The European Commission proposed letting member states choose permanent standard or daylight saving time, and the European Parliament approved it, but the Council of the EU has yet to reach agreement on which time to adopt year-round . A new study on the effects of ending seasonal changes, commissioned by the Commission, is expected by the end of 2026 .

National positions remain divided, with Germany supporting a harmonized approach in Central Europe to avoid fragmenting the single market . The Commission has published a timetable for clock changes through 2031, indicating the current system will likely persist for now .