by Nastassja Martin
Italy will return to standard time on Sunday, Oct. 25, when clocks will be turned back one hour at 3 a.m., marking the end of daylight saving time.
The change will bring lighter mornings but earlier sunsets, as Italy and other European Union countries adjust their clocks for the winter months.
The twice-yearly clock change takes place on the last Sunday of March and the last Sunday of October. The practice was introduced to make greater use of daylight during working hours, but its benefits and effects on daily life have long been debated.
The question whether to abolish the system remains open across Europe. In 2019, the European Parliament approved a proposal to end seasonal clock changes, allowing member states to remain permanently on either summer or winter time. The initiative subsequently stalled, in part as the Covid-19 pandemic shifted political priorities.
Under the proposal, countries would coordinate their decisions to limit disruptions to cross-border travel, trade and economic activity. No final agreement has been implemented, and seasonal clock changes remain in place across the bloc.
As the debate continues, we went downtown in Trieste to ask residents what they think about changing the clocks twice a year — and whether they would prefer to keep daylight saving time, remain on standard time or end the practice altogether.
The European Union spans three main time zones: Western European Time, Central European Time and Eastern European Time. Iceland, outside the EU, does not observe seasonal clock changes and remains on Greenwich Mean Time throughout the year.
Italy has observed daylight saving time regularly since 1966, following earlier periods of use during the 20th century.
Standard time will remain in effect until Sunday, March 28, 2027, when clocks are scheduled to move forward one hour as daylight saving time resumes.
