European Commission sets clock-change schedule through 2031 — RMF24

Poland and other European Union member states will follow a schedule for seasonal clock changes for 2027–2031. In March 2026, the European Commission set the dates for the start and end of the daylight-saving-time period, RMF24 reports.

On the night of October 24–25, 2026, Poland will switch to standard time: at 03:00, clocks must be turned back to 02:00. In EU countries, standard time begins on the last Sunday in October, while daylight saving time begins on the last Sunday in March. The next switch to daylight saving time is scheduled for March 28, 2027.

Why the changes were not abolished

A directive in force since 2001 regulates the unified procedure for EU member states to switch between daylight saving time and standard time. In Poland, the specific dates are also set by an order of the head of government; the current document covers 2022–2026.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

In 2018, the European Commission proposed abolishing seasonal time changes, and the European Parliament supported the idea. However, the issue remains unresolved because member states have not agreed on which time should remain permanent — daylight saving time or standard time.

Positions of EU states

According to RMF24, 84% of Europeans supported ending clock changes during public consultations. Poland's presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2025 attempted to return to the issue, but most states maintained their previous positions and pointed to the need for a comprehensive analysis of the consequences of such a decision.

Clock changes were introduced more than a century ago to make more efficient use of daylight and save electricity. As RMF24 notes, specialists consider such savings insignificant, while changing the clocks may disrupt circadian rhythms and create difficulties for logistics, shift work, and the financial sector.