EU and Greece to transition to winter time on October 25, 2026

The transition from summer time to winter time in 2026 is scheduled for the early hours of Sunday, October 25. Following current European Union legislation, clocks will be set back by one hour at 04:00, showing 03:00.

This practice, which has been systematically applied in Europe since the 1970s energy crisis to maximize natural light and reduce electricity consumption, remains mandatory due to a lack of coordination among EU member states. Although the European Parliament voted in 2019 to abolish the seasonal clock change, implementation has been delayed by various factors including the pandemic and energy crises.

While most modern digital devices like smartphones and laptops update automatically, manual adjustment is required for traditional analog clocks. The 2026 date is noted as being particularly early in the month, a calendar occurrence not seen since 2020.