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Tengrinews.kz – On March 30, most Europeans woke up to a change in their clocks, as the time was moved forward by one hour, according to Deutsche Welle.
This annual time change, which occurs twice a year, has long sparked debate and has been repeatedly discussed within European Union institutions. Despite efforts to abolish daylight saving time, the tradition continues, and on the last Sunday of March, Europe once again switched to summer time.
The history and reasons behind the introduction of daylight saving time
Daylight saving time was first introduced in Germany during World War I to conserve energy resources by extending daylight hours into the evening. Later, this practice spread throughout Europe. During World War II, countries reintroduced clock changes, but later temporarily abandoned them.
However, the oil crisis of the 1970s forced European countries to reconsider energy savings, and since then, shifting the clocks twice a year has become standard practice.
As part of daylight saving time, Central European countries switch from Central European Time (CET) to Central European Summer Time (CEST). The United Kingdom moves its clocks from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to British Summer Time (BST).
Debates surrounding the time change
Many experts and citizens of EU countries have long questioned the necessity of switching to daylight saving time. Opponents argue that it disrupts sleep patterns, causes disturbances in biological rhythms, and can negatively affect health. Studies also show that the energy savings achieved through daylight saving time are minimal and do not justify the associated inconvenience.
In 2018, the European Union held an open public consultation among residents of what was then still 28 member states (before the UK left the EU). Nearly 4 million people supported abolishing the time change. In 2019, the European Parliament approved the corresponding initiative, but its implementation stalled due to disagreements among member states.
Poland, which holds the presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2025, has once again raised the issue of ending daylight saving time.
"We are planning to informally consult member states to see whether it is still feasible to take the proposal forward," stated the Polish presidency.
Over the past decade, countries such as Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia, Syria, Turkey, and Uruguay have abandoned the practice of changing the clocks. According to the Pew Research Center, only one-third of countries worldwide still observe daylight saving time, most of which are in Europe.
Egypt abolished the time change in 2014 but reinstated it in 2023 to save electricity.
For now, the issue remains unresolved: Europe continues to operate on its familiar schedule, but the debate over the relevance of daylight saving time persists.
