DST Start in Europe 2024
By Sara Kornberg and Mathew Gundersen. Published 28-Feb-2024
Most European countries set their clocks forward one hour on Sunday, March 31, 2024, when Daylight Saving Time (DST) starts.
Clocks go forward one hour in Europe on March 31, 2024.
©timeanddate.com
Most European countries will spring forward one hour at 01:00 UTC on March 31, 2024. The local time for the change is different in each time zone.
Local time for Europe DST start 2024
The clocks will be set back again to standard time on Sunday, October 27, 2024.
The US and Canada started DST three weeks earlier than Europe, on March 10, 2024.
Push to Remove DST in the EU Is at a Standstill
In 2019, the European Union seemed intent on scrapping DST, but nothing has happened so far. The European Council has yet to start negotiations.
In recent years, issues such as Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine have further complicated matters. It seems unlikely that any changes to DST in the EU will take place anytime soon.
Europe’s time zones and DST schedule
Daylight Saving in Europe
Time changes in Europe are synchronized. According to the current EU law, DST starts on the last Sunday of March and ends on the last Sunday of October. Participating countries are:
- The European Union (EU), including Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain.
- Most other European countries, including the United Kingdom, Norway, and Switzerland.
Most of Ukraine set their clocks forward for DST, except for areas occupied by Russia. European countries that do not have DST include Russia, Iceland, and Belarus.
DST happens to start on Western Easter Sunday this year, but the Easter date is determined by a completely different system, so this is just a coincidence. (Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter on a different date.)
Local Times in Europe for DST Start
| Time Zone During DST | DST Starts | Standard Time Zone (no DST) |
|---|---|---|
British Summer Time (BST), used in the UK during summer. UTC offset: +1 hour | DST starts at 01:00 (1 am) local time. | UTC offset: None |
Irish Standard Time (IST), used in Ireland during the summer. UTC offset: +1 hour | DST starts at 01:00 (1 am) local time. | UTC offset: None |
Western European Summer Time (WEST), used in the Canary Islands, the Faroe Islands, and Portugal. UTC offset: +1 hour | DST starts at 01:00 (1 am) local time. | UTC offset: None |
Central European Summer Time (CEST), used in countries including Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Spain, and Switzerland. UTC offset: +2 hours | DST starts at 02:00 (2 am) local time. | UTC offset: +1 hour |
Eastern European Summer Time (EEST), used in countries including Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, and Romania. UTC offset: +3 hours | DST starts at 03:00 (3 am) local time. | UTC offset: +2 hours |