British Summer Time
Rules
(from UK Government -
Department of Trade & Industry - DTi)
For 2003-2007 inclusive, the summer-time periods
begin and end respectively on the following dates at
1.00am Greenwich Mean Time:
In 2003: the Sundays
of 30 March and 26 October
In 2004: the Sundays of 28
March and 31 October
In 2005: the Sundays of 27 March and 30
October
In 2006: the Sundays of 26 March and 29 October
In 2007: the Sundays of 25 March and 28 October
Since 1981 EC Directives have
prescribed the start and end dates of summer time in
all Member States. There have to date been eight
Directives which have set summer-time arrangements
for fixed periods. The Summer Time Act 1972 sets the
appropriate dates in the UK and summer-time orders
have been made as necessary to implement the
European Directives. The
9th EC Directive prescribes the start and end
dates of summer time as the last Sundays in March
and October respectively. These dates are in line
with those already operating in the United Kingdom.
The 9th Directive provides that these start and end
dates should apply indefinitely.
Implementation of the 9th
Directive in the UK is through an Order in Council
under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act
1972, which amended the relevant sections of the
Summer Time Act 1972. The
Order came into force on 11 March 2002. A
Regulatory Impact Assessment and
Transposition Note were produced in conjunction
with the laying of the Order.
Proposals have been made from time to time about
changing the UK's time zone to Central European
Time. However, any changes would need to have full
regard to the effect on business and transport links
with other countries, on health and safety issues
such as road traffic accidents, and on social and
community life. Although there could be some
advantages, adoption of Central European Time in the
UK would result in later sunrise in winter,
affecting particularly outdoor workers and people in
the north of England and Scotland. There are no
current plans to change the UK’s time zone.
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