Time change: EU remains divided over the future of clocks!

Time change: EU remains divided over the future of clocks!

On October 26, 2025, the resetting of the clocks at 3 a.m. to 2 a.m. marked the change to winter time in Europe. This time change, which has been controversial in the EU for years, has historical roots that go back to the First World War, when it was initially introduced to save energy. Subsequently, especially in the 1970s due to the oil crisis, daylight saving time was permanently introduced in many European countries. This regulation was standardized across the EU in 1996, whereby the changeover date was set to the last Sunday in March and the reset to the last Sunday in October 5min.at.

The health effects of this practice are also a central topic in the discussion. Chronobiologists point out that frequent changes between daylight saving time and standard time disrupt many people's natural sleep rhythms. Studies, such as a study from the USA, show that such changes can have negative effects on health, including an increased frequency of heart attacks and an increase in hospital admissions after the time change. Sleep researchers recommend viewing winter as less harmful to health and recommend spending a lot of time outdoors to better adapt tagesschau.de.

Health burdens and social impacts

The effects of the time change on health are diverse and deserve special attention. According to various studies, it has been shown that the change to summer time is associated with an increasing number of work and traffic accidents. This represents a significant health risk factor. The phenomenon of social jet lag, in which the internal biological clock deviates from external time, causes problems for many people. Despite the health disadvantages, some prefer daylight saving time because it promises longer evenings with daylight. A permanent standard time could, among other things, help reduce obesity and strokes, as researchers at Stanford University have discovered tagesschau.de.

The discussion about abolishing the time change was recently revived by Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who wants to work for a final solution. However, there is still no agreement among EU countries as to whether summer or winter time should be considered standard time. A 2018 survey found that 84 percent of EU citizens oppose the time change 5min.at.

The international comparison also shows a variety of regulations. Countries such as Japan, China and India have not implemented time changes, while Ukraine has already abandoned the time change in 2024 and wants to return to standard time. Iceland has also never introduced daylight saving time spiegel.de.

Overall, it should be noted that the discussion about the time change continues and must take into account both health aspects and regionally different preferences. Ultimately, a comprehensive agreement on a permanent time regulation that focuses on both citizen well-being and practical considerations could be forthcoming in the near future.