Cyprus will move to summer time later this month as part of the annual daylight saving time change observed across much of Europe.
As every year, the change will take place on the last Sunday of March. In 2026, clocks will move one hour forward in the early hours of Sunday, 29 March.
At 03:00 local time, clocks will shift to 04:00, meaning people will lose one hour of sleep that night but gain longer daylight during the afternoon and evening.
Today, most electronic devices such as mobile phones, computers and smart watches update automatically, meaning users rarely need to adjust the time manually.
Why daylight saving time exists
Daylight saving time is applied mainly to make better use of natural daylight and reduce energy consumption.
With more daylight during the afternoon, the need for artificial lighting is reduced and many people can spend more time outdoors after work or school.
The practice has been widely used across Europe for decades and remains coordinated among European Union member states to maintain consistency in transport schedules and cross-border economic activity.
Ongoing debate in Europe
In recent years, however, the practice has been the subject of increasing debate within Europe.
Some argue that daylight saving time no longer provides significant energy savings and may negatively affect people’s biological rhythms and sleep patterns.
In 2019, the European Parliament supported a proposal to end the twice-yearly clock changes and allow each member state to choose either permanent summer or winter time. However, EU governments have not yet reached a final agreement, and the system remains in place for now.
What happens in the rest of the world
Daylight saving time is not applied universally. The practice varies significantly across regions.
In North America, the United States and Canada follow a similar system, moving clocks forward in March and back in November.
In Australia, daylight saving time is used in some states but not others. New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia observe the change, while Queensland and Western Australia do not.
Many countries closer to the equator, including most of Africa, Southeast Asia and South America, do not apply daylight saving time because seasonal daylight variations are minimal.
In Asia, major countries such as China, Japan and India do not use daylight saving time. Russia also abolished the practice in 2014.
As a result, only around one third of the world’s countries currently apply daylight saving time.
For Cyprus and most European countries, however, the system continues unchanged. Each year, clocks move forward on the last Sunday of March, marking the beginning of the longer days of spring and summer.