Daylight will begin one hour earlier from 29 October 2023.

Italy's clocks go back one hour at 03.00 on the night between Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 October 2023, bringing an end to daylight saving time, or 'summer' time.

Moving the clocks back means that mornings will be lighter an hour earlier and evenings will turn darker earlier.

The time changes occur twice a year in EU countries, on the last Sunday of March and the last Sunday of October.

The practice dates back to more than a century, before the advent of electricity, to take full advantage of all the daylight hours during the working day.

However it could be among the last times that Europe is required to change its clocks.

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In 2019 the European parliament approved a draft law to scrap daylight saving time at an EU level but the move was put on hold after being overshadowed by the covid pandemic.

Under the plan the 27 member states will be required to choose either permanent summer time or winter time but must co-ordinate their choices to minimise risk of economic disruption in cross-border trade.

There are currently three different time zones in the EU: two countries operate under Greenwich Mean Time (GMT): Ireland and Portugal, in addition to the UK; 17 have Central European Time (GMT+1) and eight have Eastern European Time (GMT+2).

The only country in Europe not to make the most of extra daylight hours during the summer is Iceland which stays on GMT all year round.

Italy has observed the clock changes every year since 1966, as well as from 1916-1920 and 1940-1948.

Winter time will be with us until 31 March 2024 when clocks will "spring forward" by one hour.