Central European Summer Time Explained

Central European Summer Time (CEST,), sometimes referred to as Central European Daylight Time (CEDT),^[1] is the standard clock time observed during the period of summer daylight-saving in those European countries which observe Central European Time (CET;) during the other part of the year. It corresponds to, which makes it the same as Eastern European Time, Central Africa Time, South African Standard Time, Egypt Standard Time and Kaliningrad Time in Russia.^[2]

Names

Other names which have been applied to Central European Summer Time are Middle European Summer Time (MEST),^[3] Central European Daylight Saving Time (CEDT),^[4] and Bravo Time (after the second letter of the NATO phonetic alphabet).^[5]

Period of observation

Since 1996, European Summer Time has been observed between 01:00 UTC (02:00 CET and 03:00 CEST) on the last Sunday of March, and 01:00 UTC on the last Sunday of October; previously the rules were not uniform across the European Union.^[6]

There were proposals to abandon summer time in Europe from 2021, possibly by moving winter time up by an hour and keeping that time through the year.^[7]

Usage

The following countries and territories regularly use Central European Summer Time:^[8]

• Albania, since 1974
• Andorra, since 1985
• Austria, since 1980
• Belgium, since 1980
• Bosnia and Herzegovina, since 1983 when part of Yugoslavia
• Croatia, since 1983 when part of Yugoslavia
• Czech Republic, since 1979 when part of Czechoslovakia
• Denmark (metropolitan), since 1980
• France (metropolitan), since 1976
• Germany, since 1980
• Gibraltar, since 1982
• Hungary, since 1980
• Italy, since 1968
• Kosovo, since 1983 when part of Yugoslavia
• Liechtenstein, since 1981
• Luxembourg, since 1981
• Malta, since 1974
• Monaco, since 1976
• Montenegro, since 1983 when part of Yugoslavia
• Netherlands, since 1977
• North Macedonia, since 1983 when part of Yugoslavia
• Norway, since 1980
• Poland, since 1977
• San Marino, since 1966
• Serbia, since 1983 when part of Yugoslavia
• Slovakia, since 1979 when part of Czechoslovakia
• Slovenia, since 1983 when part of Yugoslavia
• Spain, since 1974 (except Canary Islands, which instead apply Western European Summer Time)
• Sweden, since 1980
• Switzerland, since 1981
• Vatican City, since 1966

The following countries have also used Central European Summer Time in the past:

• Libya, 1951 - 1959, 1982 - 1989, 1996 - 1997, 2012 - 2013
• Lithuania, 1998 - 1999
• Portugal, 1993 - 1995
• Tunisia, 2005 - 2008

See also

• European Summer Time
• Time zone

Notes and References

1. Web site: Correcting the Domino Daylight Savings Problem . 2023-10-21 . www.nashcom.de.
2. Web site: CEST time now. 24timezones.com. en-US. 2018-07-20.
3. Web site: Time zone names- Middle European Daylight, Middle European Summer, Mitteieuropaische Sommerzeit (german). www.worldtimezone.com. 2018-07-20.
4. Web site: CEDT - Central European Daylight Time: Current local time. Time Difference. en. 2018-07-20.
5. Web site: B – Bravo Time Zone (Time Zone Abbreviation). www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-07-20.
6. Web site: Joseph Myers . History of legal time in Britain . 2009-10-11 . 2009-07-17 .
7. News: Boffey . Daniel . European parliament votes to scrap daylight saving time from 2021 . The Guardian . 26 March 2019.
8. Web site: CEST – Central European Summer Time (Time Zone Abbreviation). www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-07-20.