Spanish government to pass new housing laws
Now Pedro Sánchez's government is preparing a new royal decree, which will seek to pass more housing measures this September. It will be a major reform of the Urban Leases Law (LAU) and will also modify some of the main rules governing the rental market. Some of the measures include tenants being able to deduct rent money if they pay for repairs, room rentals will be changed to traditional rentals, temporary rentals will be limited and mandatory extensions for many contracts.
The government hope to get parliamentary support and backing for these new changes this month.
READ ALSO: 11 key housing laws Spain wants to pass in September
Border checks between Spain and Italy to continue into September
Spain brought in border checks on arrivals from Italy on Sunday August 10th in what the Spanish Interior Ministry said was a "response to similar measures imposed by Rome following the massive influx of migrants in Ceuta."
Italy said the reintroduction of checks was an "extraordinary measure" needed to protect national security, while Spain said the move was "unfair, contrary to the EU's interests and discriminatory for the Spanish population."
READ MORE: What's happening with border checks between Italy and Spain?
As the tit-for-tat row between the two governments continues, passengers travelling between Spain and Italy found themselves facing document checks for the first time in more than three decades.
The Spanish government said these reciprocal checks will run until September 7th, unless the conditions that led to them change before then.
School year starts
School starts back up in September, but the exact date will depend on where you live in the country. Most regions will start classes again between September 7th to the 10th. The earliest to go back will be those in Madrid on the 7th and 8th, while Cantabria, Murcia and Catalonia also start on the 8th. Castilla y León, Valencia, Galicia, Asturias and La Rioja will head back on September 9th. The Balearic Islands and Andalusia will be some of the last to go back on September 10th.
Dates may change slightly for specific schools or ages, particularly if they are international or private.
**Teachers to go on strike in Catalonia **
Although students are due to go back on September 8th in Catalonia, the Catalan Education Assembly (AEC) has agreed to call a strike in public schools on that day. They are protesting the fact that their demands for "the entire education system, from early childhood education (ages 0-3) to vocational training, have not been heard,” according to AEC spokesperson Mònica Rodrigo. She added that “the minor proposals that have been made do not change the day-to-day reality in classrooms or improve the public education system; instead, they leave it unchanged, with all its shortcomings and problems.”
This is not the first time teachers in the region have held stoppages. Several were held earlier this year in February, March, and May to June.
New social security obligation for those on sick leave
From September 1st, Social Security communications will all be digitised. This means that from this date, those applying for sick leave, permanent disability, or non-disabling permanent injury will receive notifications electronically. Resolutions will be available to users to see on the Social Security website and those pending responses will receive a notification via email or SMS, depending on what they choose.
Spanish government to grant citizenship to Sahrawis
The Spanish government is to go ahead with its move to grant Spanish citizenship to the Sahrawi people from Western Sahara, paving the way for thousands from the former colony to gain Spanish passports from this month. "It will be approved in the first plenary session of September," according to the social government. The bill was introduced nearly two and a half years ago by far-left junior coalition partner Sumar and was finally approved in July of this year.
This comes despite recent migrant crisis in Ceuta. According to figures from the Ministry of the Interior, 70,000 of these migrants have already returned to their country of origin.
**Vets to hold demonstrations in Madrid and Barcelona **
The Veterinary Crisis Committee has called for demonstrations to be held in Madrid and Barcelona on Saturday, September 19th at 11am. They seek to highlight the situation facing veterinary professionals and are demanding several changes within the profession and the care of animals. They are calling on calling on vets, those who work with animals and those with pets who wish to join in and defend the quality of veterinary care.
**New flight routes **
Iberojet will operate a new route between Madrid and El Salvador this September.
Wizz Air will launch a new route between Bilbao and Turin in Italy from September 14th.
Wizz Air will also begin operating another route from Cantabria to Milan in Italy from September 15th.
Volotea will launch a new route between San Sebastián and Florence in Italy from September 21st. It will have two weekly flights, on Mondays and Thursdays, and from November, on Mondays and Fridays.
Regional holidays
There are no national holidays in Spain in September, but there will be a number of regional holidays across the country throughout the month, even though most of the country has just come back from a month-long holiday.
These include:
2nd September (Ceuta Day)
8th September (Asturias Day)
8th September (Extremadura Day)
11th September La Diada (Catalonia Day)
15th September (Cantabria's Día de La Bien Aparecida)
Various island holidays in the Canary Islands:
8th September (Día de Nuestra Señora del Pino, Gran Canaria)
15th September (Día de Nuestra Señora de Los Volcanes: Lanzarote, La Graciosa and Fuerteventura)
25th September (Día de Nuestra Señora de los Reyes, El Hierro)
**Festivals **
September brings with it plenty of festivals, even after all the ferias held in the summer. Harvest season means that several of these festivals are linked to food and wine.
The Grape Harvest Festival in Jerez will take place during the first two weeks of the month, while the La Rioja Wine Harvest Festival or San Mateo festival will take place in Logroño from 20th-26th of September.
There are also events such as the Feria de Albacete from the 7th-17th, and various historical events and re-enactments like the Fiestas de Carthagineses y Romanos (18th-27th) and the Fiestas del Motín in Aranjuez (2nd-6th).
Barcelona will also be hosting its biggest celebration of the year - La Mercè - with lots of concerts, street theatre, dancing giants and fireworks. This year it will be held from September 23rd – 28th.
**Alicante to launch €400 shopping voucher **
The Alicante City Council has reached an agreement with local business to launch a new 2026 Consumer Voucher in mid-September. The initiative, which will have a budget of €3.8 million, will allow consumers to purchase vouchers worth up to €400 per person for use at participating shops.
Three types of vouchers will be available, one for seniors over 65, one for youth under 30 years old and a general voucher for the rest of the population. Residents will be able to purchase vouchers of €20, €50, €100 or €200 with a maximum limit of €400 per person. The idea is to encourage shopping at local businesses and promote local consumption.
Changes to fuel prices in Spain
Spain's government will have to reverse its plan to phase out fuel subsidies in September.
Diesel prices rose 15.7 percent year-on-year in July , seven-tenths of a percent above the threshold that would automatically trigger the safeguard clause included in the energy crisis response plan.
The result will be a tax reduction of 20 cents per litre in September, compared to the 5 cents initially planned for that month.
However, petrol will follow a different path. Its price increased by 7.3 percent year-on-year in July, below the 15 percent threshold, so it will maintain the 5-cent-per-liter tax reduction established for September. This means that in practice drivers of petrol vehicles will hardly get a discount on the currently high prices.