Clock changes: EU backs ending daylight saving time - Breaking News . . Clock changes: EU backs ending daylight saving time The EU made the spring/autumn clock change the rule in all member states in 1996, based on the argument that it would reduce energy costs. But the Commission says the data on energy-saving is inconclusive. There is also no reliable evidence that the clock changes reduce traffic accidents, the Commission says. What are the EU's current time zones? There are three standard time zones: Three states apply GMT (the UK, Ireland and Portugal) 17 have Central European Time, which is GMT+1 Eight have Eastern European Time, which is GMT+2 The current seasonal clock changes are controversial partly because there is a big difference in daylight hours experienced by Scandinavia and by southern Europe. Nordic countries have long, dark nights in winter and short nights in summer. The pattern in the sou...