Western European Time Explained

Western European Time (WET,) is a time zone covering parts of western Europe and consists of countries using (also known as Greenwich Mean Time, abbreviated GMT).[1] [2] It is one of the three standard time zones in the European Union along with Central European Time and Eastern European Time.[3]

The following Western European countries and regions use UTC±00:00 in winter months:

All the above countries except Iceland[14] implement daylight saving time in summer (from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October each year), switching to Western European Summer Time (WEST,), which is one hour ahead of WET.[15] WEST is called British Summer Time in the UK and is legally defined as Irish Standard Time in Ireland.

The nominal span of the UTC±00:00 time zone is 7.5°E to 7.5°W (0° ± 7.5°), but does not include the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Gibraltar or Spain (except Canary Islands) which use Central European Time (CET) even though these are mostly or completely west of 7.5°E. Conversely, Iceland and eastern Greenland use UTC±00:00 although both are west of 7.5°W. In September 2013, a Spanish parliamentary committee recommended switching to UTC±00:00.[16] [17] [18]

Historical uses

A slight variation of UTC±00:00, based until 1911 on the Paris Meridian, was used in:

1901–1946[19]

1892–1914 (without daylight saving time)[20] [21] and 1919–1940 (with daylight saving time)[22]

1911–1940[23] and 1944–1945[24]

1880–1957[25] [26]

1918–1940[27] [28]

1911–1945[29] [30]

Until the Second World War, France used UTC±00:00. However, the German occupation switched France to German time, and it has remained in CET since then.[31] Two other occupied territories, Belgium and the Netherlands, did the same, and Spain also switched to CET in solidarity with Germany under the orders of General Franco.[32]

In the United Kingdom, from 1940 to 1945 British Summer Time (BST=CET) was used in winters, and from 1941 to 1945 and again in 1947, British Double Summer Time (BDST=CEST) was used in summers. Between 18 February 1968 and 31 October 1971, BST was used all year round.[33] [34]

In Ireland, from 1940 to 1946 Irish Summer Time (IST=CET) was used all year round, with no 'double' summer time akin to that in the United Kingdom. Between 18 February 1968 and 31 October 1971, Irish Standard Time was used all year round.[35] [36]

In Portugal, CET was used in the mainland from 1966 to 1976 and from 1992 to 1996. The autonomous region of the Azores used WET from 1992 to 1993.[37] [38] [39]

Anomalies

Colour Legal time vs local mean time
1 h ± 30 m behind
0 h ± 30 m
1 h ± 30 m ahead
2 h ± 30 m ahead

Regions located outside UTC longitudes

Located west of 22°30′ W ("physical" UTC−2)

Located west of 7°30′ W ("physical" UTC-1)

Areas located within longitudes using other time zones

These areas are actually located between 7°30′E and 7°30′W (nominally UTC+0) but use (Central European Time, nominally for longitudes between 7°30′E and 22°30′E):

All of

and most of

and minor parts of other countries.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: EU summer-time arrangements under Directive 2000/84/EC. 2017. European Parliament.
  2. Web site: Reasoned opinion on subsidiarity. 2019. Committee on Legal Affairs –European Parliament.
  3. Web site: Seasonal clock change in the EU. 2016-09-22. European Commission. en. 2019-11-18.
  4. Web site: Time Zones of Portugal. Statoids. 18 October 2011.
  5. News: Lighter nights would keep youngsters fitter and safer, say doctors. 27 June 2005. Western Mail. Cardiff.
  6. David Ennals "British Standard Times Bill [Lords]", Hansard, House of Commons Debate, 23 January 1968, vol 757 cc290-366, 290–92
  7. https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1970/dec/02/british-standard-time#S5CV0807P0_19701202_HOC_339 "British Standard Time"
  8. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes 1900-1924 in Dublin, Ireland. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  9. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes 1960-1969 in Dublin, Ireland. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  10. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes 1925-1949 in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  11. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes 1900-1924 in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  12. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes in Danmarkshavn, Greenland. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  13. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes in Reykjavik, Iceland. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  14. Web site: Countries that do not observe DST GreenwichMeanTime.com. greenwichmeantime.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  15. News: What Countries Do Daylight Savings?. WorldAtlas. 2018-11-29. en.
  16. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24294157 "Spain considers time zone change to boost productivity".
  17. Hamilos, Paul (26 September 2013). "Adiós, siesta? Spain considers ending Franco's change to working hours". The Guardian (London).
  18. Dewey, Caitlin (26 September 2013). "Spaniards are less productive, constantly tired because Spain is in the wrong time zone". The Washington Post.
  19. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes in Andorra La Vella, Andorra. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  20. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes in Brussels, Belgium. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  21. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes 1900-1924 in Brussels, Belgium. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  22. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes 1925-1949 in Brussels, Belgium. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  23. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes 1900-1924 in Paris, Île-de-France, France. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  24. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes 1925-1949 in Paris, Île-de-France, France. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  25. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes 1850-1899 in Gibraltar, Gibraltar. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  26. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes 1950-1959 in Gibraltar, Gibraltar. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  27. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes 1900-1924 in Luxembourg, Luxembourg. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  28. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes 1925-1949 in Luxembourg, Luxembourg. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  29. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes 1900-1924 in Monaco, Monaco. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  30. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes 1925-1949 in Monaco, Monaco. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  31. Poulle. Yvonne. La France à l'heure allemande. Bibliothèque de l'école des chartes. 1999. 157. 2. 493–502. https://web.archive.org/web/20150904024453/http://www.persee.fr/articleAsPDF/bec_0373-6237_1999_num_157_2_450989/article_bec_0373-6237_1999_num_157_2_450989.pdf. dead. 4 September 2015. 11 January 2012. 10.3406/bec.1999.450989.
  32. News: Spain Has Been In The 'Wrong' Time Zone For 7 Decades. NPR.org. 2018-11-29. en.
  33. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes 1960-1969 in London, England, United Kingdom. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  34. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes 1970-1979 in London, England, United Kingdom. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  35. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes 1960-1969 in Dublin, Ireland. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  36. Web site: Time Zone & Clock Changes 1970-1979 in Dublin, Ireland. www.timeanddate.com. en. 2018-11-29.
  37. http://dre.pt/pdf1sdip/1992/12/295A01/00020003.pdf Decreto Legislativo Regional n.º 29/92/A (23-12-1992)
  38. http://dre.pt/pdf1sdip/1993/03/072A02/02720272.pdf Decreto Legislativo Regional n.º 8/93/A (26-03-1993)
  39. http://dre.pt/pdf1sdip/1993/07/164A00/38453846.pdf Decreto Legislativo Regional n.º 9/93/A (15-07-1993)

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