Spanish Public Administration: Structure and Functions
The Spanish Civil Administration
I. Levels of Public Administration in Spain
- General State Administration (central, peripheral, external, public agencies)
- Regional Administration (autonomous communities)
- Local Administration (provinces and municipalities)
II. The State General Administration
A) Central Bodies
Their jurisdiction extends throughout the country (Government).
B) Peripheral Organs
Their jurisdiction includes part of the territory (representatives of the Government in the regions, sub-delegates in the provinces, and island directors).
C) Bodies on the Outside
Their mission is to represent Spain to other States and international organizations (ambassadors and permanent representatives).
D) Government Agencies
They are public corporations that have specific public service purposes.
III. The Central Administration
The highest organs of state administration are the Council of Ministers, the Government Commission, and the Prime Minister. There may also be one or more vice-chairmen of the Government, but their existence is not mandatory. The president, vice president, and ministers meet in the Council of Ministers or the Government Commission. All organs of state administration are subordinate to the Prime Minister or ministers concerned.
IV. The Peripheral Administration of the State
Delegates of the Government
The main function of government delegates is to protect the free exercise of rights and freedoms, as well as ensuring public safety through the sub-delegation of the Government and the leadership of the Forces of State Security, under the functional unit of the Ministry of Interior.
Government Sub-delegates
Sub-delegates’ powers include directing the services of the Central Government in accordance with the instructions of the delegate of the Government, directing the Corps and state security forces in the province, and leading and coordinating the civil protection of the province.
Island Directors
On the islands of Menorca, Ibiza, Formentera, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro, there is a director of General Administration. They depend on the government delegate in the autonomous community and exercise, in their territorial area, the same powers as the local deputy in the provinces.
V. The State General Administration Abroad
The bodies of the General State Administration on the outside are ambassadors and permanent representatives to international organizations. These are bodies that represent Spain in the state or international organization to which they are accredited, direct the Central Government on the outside, and coordinate the activities of organs and administrative units that integrate them.
a) Permanent diplomatic missions in the states that have established diplomatic relations (embassies).
b) The special diplomatic missions to a state for a specific task and for a time.
c) The permanent representatives and delegations to an international organization (e.g., permanent representative to the UN and the delegations to international conferences).
d) The consular (exercising functions of support and protection of Spanish citizens abroad).
e) The institutions and agencies of the General State Administration on the outside (for example, the Instituto Cervantes and commercial offices in Spain).
VI. Public Agencies
The main entities within the institutional management are:
A. Autonomous Agencies
They depend on a ministry and are entrusted with largely administrative activities, development, delivery, and management of public services or the administration of certain assets of the National State.
- National Public Administration Institute, under the Ministry of Public Administration.
- Higher Traffic Headquarters, under the Ministry of Interior.
- Official State Gazette.
- National Employment Institute, under the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.
- Museo Nacional del Prado, under the Ministry of Culture.
- Institute of Statistics, under the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
B. Public Business Entities
They are subsidiaries of a ministry or an autonomous body, which is assigned to conduct activities for the provision and management of services or the production of public goods subject to compensation (industrial, commercial, transportation, or other similar). E.g., public entity RTVE, under the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
- Institute of Official Credit and the National Mint and Stamp, under the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
- Spanish National Railways and Narrow Gauge Railway, under the Ministry of Public Works.
VII. Advisory Management
A. The Council of State
The State Council issues opinions on all issues submitted for its opinion, the Government or its members, and the autonomous communities, through their presidents. The opinions are not binding unless the law otherwise.
B. The Economic and Social Council
The Economic and Social Council is an advisory body to the government on socio-economic and work matters. It is under the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. It consists of representatives of trade unions and businesses, the various economic sectors, consumers and users, and six experts in the fields of competition.
The main functions of the Council are:
a) Issue opinions on draft laws and draft decrees that govern economic and employment matters.
b) Research and reports on socio-economic matters.
VIII. Financial Control Administration
Through financial control, it is determined whether the financial activity conducted by the Administration responds to the principles and rules which govern it. The control is internal and external. Internal control is carried out by the State Comptroller General. External control is provided by the State Audit Court.
A. The General Comptroller of the State Administration
The internal control of the State Administration is done by the General Comptroller of the State Administration of interventions delegated to each ministry, an independent, public company, and a public body.
The Court of Auditors
It is an organ that depends on the courts that, by delegation of these, examines and verifies the general accounts of the State.
Functions:
a) The ongoing external audit of the economic activity and financial public sector, including local corporations, autonomous bodies, state companies, public companies as well as oversight of grants, loans, guarantees, and public sector support received by individuals or legal entities.
b) The prosecution of the accounting liability incurred by those who are responsible for managing flows and public purposes.