Clocks go back on Sunday 27 October

In Finland, summer time ends and clocks are changed back to Eastern European Time on the night between Saturday and Sunday. Clocks will be changed back by one hour next Sunday, 27 October at 4.00 in the morning.

Clocks are changed in all EU Member States at the same time on the same date. Adjusting the clocks at the same time is important, for example, for international rail and air traffic. The days are always the last Sunday of March and October. Early Sunday morning was chosen as the time causing the least inconvenience because the volume of traffic is at its lowest.

Daylight Saving Time has been adopted everywhere in the European Union.

Finland introduced Daylight Saving Time in 1981. The other Nordic countries had introduced summer time a year earlier, and Finland was the last country in Europe to adopt daylight saving as a permanent arrangement.

However, summer time had been tested in Finland during World War II, in 1942. Then the piloting only lasted for a year.

The European Commission has proposed to end the practice of changing clocks

The European Commission has proposed to end the practice of changing clocks The Commission has proposed that all EU Member States should stop adjusting the clocks for daylight saving.

The European Parliament voted on the Commission's proposal already in spring 2019, suggesting that the proposal should enter into force in 2021. Finland has advocated the abandoning of the seasonal time changes throughout its Presidency. Finland cannot make a decision on abandoning time changes at the national level; the matter must be decided on by the EU.

If the Directive is adopted, it will be a joint decision by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. Only then will it be implemented nationally in each EU Member State.

In Finland, opinions on changing the clocks have been investigated through polls and in a citizen survey organised by the Ministry of Justice via the Otakantaa.fi online service. The majority of respondents are in favour of ending the practice of daylight saving. The responses have expressed support equally for ending the practice and continuing with daylight saving.

If a decision is reached in the EU to end daylight saving, Parliament will choose the permanent standard time for Finland. The matter will be laid down in an act and the decision will be made by adopting the act.

Inquiries:

Maria Rautavirta, Director of Unit, tel. +358 40 718 5975