The time change is a practice established in most European countries with the aim of making better use of sunlight and reducing energy consumption. In Spain, this clock change is made twice a year: once in spring, when it is moved forward one hour to give way to daylight saving time, and once in autumn, when it is moved back to winter time.
Although the exact date varies, the adjustment always takes place on the last weekend of March and the last weekend of October, which generates the same question every year among citizens: should the clock be set forward or back?
When is the first time change in 2025?
According to Order PCM/186/2022, published in the Official State Gazette (BOE), the dates on which time changes will be made in Spain in 2025 are as follows:
– Change to daylight saving time: in the early morning of Sunday, March 30, at 2:00 a.m. (1:00 a.m. in the Canary Islands), the clocks will be moved forward one hour to 3:00 a.m. (2:00 a.m. in the Canary Islands).
– Change to winter time: in the early morning of Sunday, October 26, at 3:00 a.m. (2:00 a.m. in the Canary Islands), clocks will be set back one hour, returning to 2:00 a.m. (1:00 a.m. in the Canary Islands).
Until a definitive decision is made in the European Union, Spain will continue to apply the time change twice a year.
A system under debate
The origin of the time change dates back to the Second World War, when several countries implemented this measure in order to to maximize daylight hours and reduce coal consumption.
Spain adopted daylight saving time permanently in 1974, during the oil crisis, in order to reduce electricity consumption. Since then, the country has maintained this system of moving the time forward and backward with the change of season.
However, in recent years its effectiveness has been questioned. Several studies have pointed out that the energy savings it provides are currently minimal, since consumption habits have changed and technology has optimized energy use.
In 2019, the European Parliament voted to eliminate the time change in the European Union, allowing each country to decide whether to keep daylight saving time or winter time permanently.
However, the lack of consensus among the Member States has paralyzed the implementation of this measure, and to date the current system remains in force.
In Spain, the government commissioned a committee of experts to analyze the effects of the time change in different areas, but no definitive conclusion was reached as to what would be the best option for the country.
