CET Time Now: Current Central European Time

CET or CEST?

In winter Paris runs on CET, UTC+1. On the last Sunday in March the clocks spring forward to CEST, and on the last Sunday in October they fall back again.

Invitations often say CET even in summer. Between March 29 and October 25, 2026, the right label is CEST.

Where Central European Time is used

Most of mainland Europe uses Central European Time. That includes France, Germany, mainland Spain, Italy and the Netherlands. Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Poland, Czechia, Denmark, Norway and Sweden are on it as well.

Good to know

Spain uses Central European Time although most of the country lies west of Greenwich. That is why dinner at 9 or 10 PM in Madrid happens in what would be early evening by the sun.

Winter and summer gaps

January and July give the same gaps. For two or three weeks in March and about a week around the start of November they are an hour different, since the US moves its clocks on its own Sundays, not on Europe's.

Office hours that overlap

Paris shares two hours with New York and seven hours with London. Calls to New York fit best late in the afternoon.

Central European Time against other zones

Here is the time in each zone at noon in Paris today. Anything marked next day has already passed midnight there.

Convert CET to another zone

To line up more than two places, try the time zone converter and meeting planner.

Related pages

• The time now in every zone
• When do the clocks go back?
• When do the clocks go forward?
• Military time converter