Summer time in Cyprus ends in the early hours of Sunday, 25 October, when clocks will be turned back from 04:00 to 03:00. Winter time will then remain in force until the end of March 2027. A European Commission proposal to end seasonal clock changes is still awaiting agreement among member states.
Legal basis for the change
According to an announcement by the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry, the change is made under an arrangement applied in all European Union member states.
The arrangement is set out in a Decree published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus on 9 July 2021 (Regulatory Administrative Act 293/2021).
Return to summer time in 2027
Winter time will remain in force until the last Sunday of March 2027, when clocks will move forward by one hour again.
EU proposal to scrap clock changes
Despite discussions in recent years on abolishing seasonal clock changes across the European Union, no final decision has been taken.
The European Commission submitted a proposal in 2018 to end the mandatory twice-yearly change of the clocks. The process remains pending, however, because the required agreement among member states has not been reached.
Commission position on permanent time
In an official statement, a Commission spokesperson said that the choice between permanent summer time and permanent winter time rests with member states.
“Member states are best placed to decide whether they wish to keep summer or winter time permanently,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson explained that the Commission has held consultations with successive Presidencies of the Council of the EU, as well as with individual member states, to examine the legal and practical issues linked to the proposed abolition.
“Our priority remains reaching consensus among member states,” the spokesperson said.
