Winter time has started: lighter in the morning and darker in the evening

Wintertime in the Netherlands lasts five months, with daylight saving time starting in the last weekend of March. Wintertime is the standard time, while daylight saving time has been in effect since 1977 to align daylight with waking hours, aiming to reduce energy consumption. However, the actual energy savings are questioned. Since 1980, the regulation of summer and winter time has been managed at the European level, with the European Commission proposing to end the system in 2018, but several countries postponed the decision.