Greeks will need to set their clocks forward by one hour at 3:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 30, effectively shifting to 4:00 a.m., as the country transitions to daylight saving time.
According to an announcement from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, this marks the end of winter time in accordance with the relevant directive of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, established on January 19, 2001.
It is worth noting that most Asian and African countries do not observe daylight saving time, while several others have abolished it or plan to do so. Among them is the United States, where President Donald Trump labeled the practice as “inconvenient and costly.”
Sunday is traditionally chosen for the time change because fewer people are active, allowing for a smoother transition. As reported by Live Science, the decision to shift time on a weekend is aimed at minimizing disruption and confusion.
While many countries switch time on the second Sunday of March, Europe follows a fixed schedule: daylight saving time begins on the last Sunday of March and ends on the last Sunday of October.
The History of Daylight Saving Time
The time change was initially introduced in Europe as an energy-saving measure. Germany was the first to implement it in 1916 during World War I to reduce electricity consumption while maximizing wartime production.
Greece first experimented with daylight saving time in 1932, implementing it from July 6 to September 1 of that year by setting clocks one hour ahead. The system was officially adopted later to align with European standards and promote energy efficiency.
Since 1996, a unified EU regulation has standardized the practice, ensuring that clocks move forward by one hour in the spring and back by one hour in the fall across all member states.
