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Spain Sets Clocks Back Sunday as It Presses EU to End Biannual Time Changes in 2026

Spain has revived the stalled EU dossier at the Energy Council, seeking the qualified majority needed to halt seasonal shifts.

Overview

  • Spain will move to winter time at 03:00 on Sunday, 26 October, when clocks go back to 02:00, making the day officially 25 hours.
  • Pedro Sánchez announced Spain’s push to abolish the twice‑yearly change starting in 2026 and raised the issue at the EU Energy Council meeting in Luxembourg.
  • The file has been blocked in the Council since the European Parliament’s 2019 vote to end the practice, and any change now requires a qualified majority of member states representing 65% of the EU population.
  • The European Parliament plans to debate the issue this week, while officials note technical coordination on transport and cross‑border schedules remains a key hurdle.
  • Health and sleep experts favor permanent standard (winter) time to reduce circadian disruption, and official estimates put energy savings from clock changes at only about €6 per household a year, despite strong public support for ending the practice.