Tax, pensions and lots of cake: What changes in Sweden in March 2025?

Local Sweden

21-02-2025

From March 1st, guests at restaurants should be able to ask for information on which country the meat they are served comes from.
This includes all chilled or frozen beef, pork – including wild boar – mutton, goat meat and poultry, including minced meat.
It does not apply to other meats, such as horse, reindeer or elk meat, purchased meat products like pre-made meatballs or pre-marinated chicken breast, or meat used to make stock or sauces.
The rules also apply to food served in school and hospital canteens.
March 3rd: Tax declarations
Depending on whether you have a digital postbox or not, you should receive your tax declaration at some point between March 3rd and March 7th.
If you have a digital postbox (or sign up for one by March 2nd), you will receive your declaration digitally between March 3rd and 7th. The declaration page will then open on March 18th for you to make any changes (although you can log in and read your declaration on March 7th if you have e-ID such as BankID).
If you do not have a digital postbox, you should receive your declaration between March 17th-April 15th.
You will then need to approve your declaration by April 2nd if you want to receive any tax rebate you're due that month. However, this only applies if you approve digitally and make no changes or additions. Otherwise, you have until May 2nd to declare, after which you'll get your tax rebate at some point in June.
March 4th and March 6th: Two important cake-related dates
Like Christmas decorations, semla buns start appearing in Sweden's cafés earlier every year. But March 4th, Fettisdagen or "Shrove Tuesday", is the day when people in Sweden are traditionally supposed to stuff themselves with the cream-filled, almondy delicacies.
To find out what it's all about, read .
If you're still not sick of whipped cream after gorging yourself on semlor on Tuesday, then don't worry – March 6th is , or the unofficial day to eat marzipan cake, which is essentially another name for prinsesstårta.
March 14th: Revoking residence permits
An inquiry looking into extending the possibilities of rejecting and revoking residence permits due to a "flawed way of life" is due to present its conclusions by March 14th. This could include things like associating with criminal gangs or organisations, prostitution, drug abuse or membership of extremist organisations, but the exact details will be worked out by the inquiry.
March 30th: Clocks go forward
Daylight saving time starts in Sweden on March 30th, so the clocks will go forward at 2am on the 30th, meaning an hour less in bed. Many digital clocks (like the one on your phone) change automatically, but it's a good idea to make sure you're working to the same time as everyone else before your alarm goes off for work on Monday morning.
March 31st: Asylum law inquiry due to report
An inquiry is looking at everything that could be done to tighten Swedish asylum migration to the most restrictive level legally possible under EU law.
In the directive given to her by the government, the judge who is leading the inquiry is tasked with examining how the law can be changed to stop asylum seekers getting permanent residency and also how permanent residency can be stripped away from those who have already been awarded it.
She is also being asked to examine how residency permits can be recalled if the situation in the home countries of those granted asylum changes so that they are no longer at risk.
She is being asked to look at how clear-cut cases, where the applicant clearly has no grounds for asylum, can be handled in a rapid way, without going through a full assessment process.
She is also being asked to look at how resources such as translators might be restricted. Under EU rules, member states are only required to supply translators in situations where they are necessary for a fair legal process.
The inquiry has until March 31st to submit its conclusions on which laws need to be changed to reach the EU legal minimum, and until October 2nd to submit conclusions on other tasks given to it.
Throughout March: Pension envelopes sent out
Sweden's annual pension statement, which is usually simply referred to as 'the orange envelope' (det orange kuvertet), was sent to pensioners in mid-January – and it's now starting to drop into the mailboxes of everyone who has not yet retired.
You don't need to do anything when you get it; it just contains information. But it is a good idea to keep on top of your future savings, whether you're in Sweden for the long run or not. .
Here are the postage dates for each region:
February 17th-21st: Västmanland, Dalarna, Gävleborg, Västernorrland, Jämtland, Västerbotten, Norrbotten.
From February 17th: Rest of the world.
February 24th-27th: Stockholm.
March 3rd-7th: Uppsala, Södermanland, Östergötland, Jönköping, Kronoberg, Kalmar.
March 10th-14th: Västra Götaland, Värmland, Örebro.
Here's The Local's guide to how to maximise your Swedish pension.