Sweden introduces mandatory reporting for chickenpox and RSV
Chickenpox and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV – a common cause of hospitalisation in infants) will become notifiable diseases from November 1st.
That means that healthcare providers will be required to report confirmed cases to their regional communicable disease control doctor and to the Public Health Agency.
"The aim is to enhance infectious disease control through closer monitoring and surveillance of these conditions," the agency stated in a press release earlier this autumn, citing a government decision to amend the Communicable Diseases Ordinance.
"It will also make it easier to evaluate the impact of introducing chickenpox jabs and catch-up vaccinations into the national childhood immunisation programme, as well as the rollout of protective antibody treatments against severe RSV in infants," it added.
The Swedish word for chickenpox is vattkoppor, and RSV is usually known as RS-virus.
Hedgehogs and eels become protected species in Swedish wildlife overhaul
Hedgehogs, ricasolia virens (örtlav in Swedish, a type of lungwort lichen), raggtaggsvamp (a type of tooth fungus), and eels are set to become protected species as Sweden overhauls its wildlife conservation rules.
At the same time, blue anemones, cowslips and ivy are being removed, significantly trimming down the official list from November 1st.
The updated list of protected species covers just over 230 species, down from nearly 300 previously.
A new species protection framework featuring four tiers is also being rolled out: strict protection, enhanced protection, basic protection and limited protection.
Alongside these, two exemptions and a ground for dispensation are being introduced to ease constraints on agriculture and forestry, as well as to accommodate vital public interests such as energy generation and national defence.
All Swedish amphibians, reptiles and orchids will retain their protected status under the new rules.
Overall, 102 species remain from the existing list, 130 are new additions, and 182 previously protected species have been removed.
New government?
Sweden has not yet managed to cobble together a government after its September 13th election.
The centre-left wing has a majority in parliament, but the Centre Party refuses to let the Left Party hold cabinet posts, and the Left Party refuses to back a government in which it does not hold cabinet posts.
In other words: it's complicated.
Will this be the month in which the parties manage to agree? We'll see, or we can reuse this entry in our What Changes in December guide.
Tick tock for Sweden's budget deadline
The annual budget bill has to be submitted to parliament by November 12th at the latest.
If Sweden does not have a government in place by then – or opposition parties who can unite around a common budget – the current caretaker government will have to put forward a transitional budget.
This is looking increasingly likely, so work has already begun at the Finance Ministry to produce a transitional budget.
A transitional budget should build on the previous year's budget without adding any new, huge reforms, and investments from the previous year which were clearly meant to be temporary won't be extended.
Proposals that are politically uncontroversial can be included if the parties can unite around the proposals.
Riksbank to make new interest rate announcement
Sweden's central bank, the Riksbank, is set to publish its latest decision on whether to raise, cut or leave the interest rate unchanged on November 4th.
The policy rate, as the country's key interest rate is called, is the central bank's main monetary policy tool. It decides which rates Swedish banks can deposit in and borrow money from the Riksbank, which in turn affects the banks' own interest rates on savings, loans and mortgages.
If bank interest rates are high, it's expensive to borrow money, which means people spend less and as a result inflation drops.
The bank is widely expected to raise the so-called policy rate from its current 1.75 percent at its November meeting, as well as early next year.
The latest analysis from state-owned mortgage lender SSAB predicts that the policy rate will reach as much as 2.50 percent in February.
More expensive fuel
Sweden in spring and summer temporarily lowered taxes on petrol and diesel in two steps by a total of 4 kronor per litre including VAT, following price hikes in the wake of the Iran war.
The first step of the tax cut expired at the start of October, and the next is set to end on November 30th.
This means that the price of fuel is set to rise 3 kronor on December 1st.
Neither the centre-left Social Democrats nor the outgoing centre-right Moderates have ruled out extending the tax break. However, a caretaker government is generally unable to implement any major policies until it has been replaced by a permanent government, which means that its fate depends on how long it takes Sweden to form a government – and as such you should expect that the price of petrol and diesel will go up after this month.
Train disruptions between Malmö and Copenhagen
There won't be any trains running across the Öresund Bridge between 2pm on November 7th and 2pm on November 8th, due to maintenance.
According to regional transport operator Skånetrafiken, replacement buses will run as follows:
Saturday, November 7th, from 2pm-7pm between Malmö C and CPH Airport. Regular buses or regional trains will run as normal between Malmö C and Hyllie.
From 7pm on Saturday, November 7th, to 6am on Sunday, November 8th between Malmö C and Copenhagen Central Station.
Sunday November 8th, from 6am-2pm between Hyllie and CPH Airport.
Half price period cards
Make sure you check what the last date for buying a monthly public transport ticket for half the price is where you live in Sweden.
In southern Sweden, public transport operator Skånetrafiken warns that November 2nd is the last day on which you can buy a 30-day ticket at half price. You can, however, hold off on activating it until December 2nd. This means that the smart thing to do may be to buy two 30-day tickets before November 2nd, then activate one immediately and the other on or just before December 2nd.
Stockholm's SL and Gothenburg's Västtrafik both state on their websites that 30-day tickets can be bought at half price until December 2nd, so no stress there.
We haven't checked what rules apply in every region in Sweden, so make sure you check for yourself.
Deadlines for sending Christmas cards and presents outside Europe
To be sure that your Christmas presents will reach family back home in time for Christmas, you need to post them by the following dates:
November 24th: Economy mail within Europe and the rest of the world
November 25th: Letters outside of Europe
November 27th: Parcels outside of Euorpe
All the other deadlines for letters and parcels within Europe fall in December.
St Martin's Day (Mårtensgås)
In southern Sweden, particularly in Skåne, St Martin's Day, or mårtensgås, on November 10th is one of the most popular celebrations of the year. It is marked by a traditional goose dinner, starting with svartsoppa, a soup made with goose blood, fortified wine, stock and spices.
Gustavus Adolphus Day
On November 6th, Swedes traditionally celebrate the anniversary of the death of Gustav II Adolf, or Gustavus Adolphus, in 1632.
During his reign Sweden briefly became a European superpower, playing a decisive role in the 30 years war.
The celebration mainly involves the preparation, sale and consumption of Gustav Adolf cakes, or Gustav Adolfsbakelser.
Diwali – the festival of lights
Diwali is the name given to the five-day long Hindu festival of lights celebrated in autumn in India and around the world, not only by Hindus, but also Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists. In 2026, the festival of lights starts on November 6th and runs until the 10th, with the key third day of of Lakshmi Puja falling on November 8th.
The festival lasts five days, with specific rituals and activities assigned to each day, beginning with cleaning the house on the first day and decorating it, usually with clay lamps and patterns of coloured sand, on the second.
There are celebrations taking place all over Sweden. Here's The Local's guide to some of them.