On Sunday, clocks in most European countries were set forward by one hour as daylight saving time commenced, signaling the approach of summer. The annual time-change, which has been a subject of debate, adjusts clocks one hour forward on the last Sunday of March and back an hour on the last Sunday of October. Originally implemented as a means to conserve energy, the necessity of these time adjustments is now questioned, and the European Union even attempted to eliminate the practice in 2018.

Daylight saving time causes central Europe to transition from Central European Time (CET) to Central European Summer Time (CEST), and the United Kingdom to move from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to British Summer Time (BST). The practice originated in Germany during World War I to provide an additional hour of daylight in the evening and was reinstated during World War II, before being reintroduced in response to the energy crisis of the 1970s. Since then, Europe has been alternating its clocks twice a year.

The time-change has sparked controversy, with proponents valuing the extra hour gained and detractors arguing against the potential disruptions to sleep patterns and negative effects on the economy and public health. In 2018, an EU-wide consultation showed widespread support for abolishing daylight saving time, leading to legislative backing for the proposal; however, it was opposed by certain member states and failed to progress.

The Polish presidency of the EU aims to revisit the issue, in spite of acknowledging internal resistance. Meanwhile, several countries, including Poland, have already discontinued daylight saving time, with only about a third of countries around the world continuing the practice, primarily in Europe. Egypt also reintroduced the time change in 2023 to save energy, having previously discontinued it in 2014.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/europe-turns-clocks-to-daylight-saving-time-despite-controversy/a-72087988?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf