Spanish State Administration: Structure & Functions

Posted on Mar 13, 2025 in Law

The Spanish State Administration: Structure and Functions

Public Business Entities

Certain aspects of its operation about the exercise of public powers are governed by public law. They are funded primarily from revenues derived from its operations and products and proceeds of your estate.

  • Example:
  • RTVE Public Entity and State Industrial Holdings Company (SEPI), under the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
  • Instituto de Credito Oficial (ICO) and the Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre, under the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
  • Spanish National Railways Network (RENFE) and Narrow Gauge Railways (LVEF), under the Ministry of Development.

The Advisory Body

Spanish laws have created several organizations whose mission is to advise and give opinions on the provisions of the executive bodies. Their opinions are not binding (not required) but merely indicative. Among all advisory bodies, notable for their importance are the State Council and the Economic and Social Council.

  • Major advisory bodies of the state:
  • Council of State: Delivers opinions, generally not binding, on state affairs of special importance.
  • Economic and Social Council: A government advisory body on socioeconomic and labor matters.

The Financial Control of Government

Through monitoring, it is intended to determine whether the financial activity conducted by the Administration. Internal control is done by the General Comptroller of the State Administration. External control is performed by the State Audit Court.

General Comptroller of the State Administration

Internal control is done prior to the implementation of taste, by a body of public administration to assess whether the economic and financial management has been conducted in accordance with rules and established principles for contracts and accounts in accordance with state law.

Court

It is a body that depends on the courts that, by delegation of these, reviews and verifies the general state accounts.

  • Functions:
  • The external audit activity and continuing economic-financial public sector.
  • The prosecution of the accounting liability incurred by those responsible for flow management and public purposes.
  • Control of the Court is following the implementation of public expenditure.

The Peripheral Administration of the State

Delegates of the Government

To represent the Government in the autonomous region, the president of the community has the representation of the state. The delegate of the Government, who has the rank of undersecretary and therefore the condition of high office, is engaged in the direction and supervision of all services of the General Administration of State and public agencies located in their territory. The main function is to protect the free exercise of the rights and freedoms as well as ensuring public safety.

Government Sub-delegates

The powers of the sub-delegation direct the Corps and state security forces in the province and direct and coordinate civil protection in the province.

Island Directors

They have the same powers as sub-delegates in the provinces.

The General State Administration on the Outside

Ambassadors and permanent representatives to international organizations are bodies representing Spain in the state or international organization to which they are accredited direct the General State Administration on the outside and coordinate the activity of the organs and administrative units within it.

The Public Bodies

A variety of entities under public law of the State General Administration has earmarked a public service. Public agencies are affiliated with, because of the subject, as a ministry.

Autonomous Bodies

They depend on a ministry and have activities assigned primarily administrative, development, delivery, and management of public services or the administration of certain state property.

  • Example:
  • National Institute of Public Administration (INAP), under the Ministry of Public Administration.
  • Department of Traffic Affairs in the Ministry of Interior.
  • Official State Bulletin (BOE).
  • National Employment Institute (INEM), under the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.
  • Museo Nacional del Prado, under the Ministry of Culture.
  • National Statistics Institute (INE) under the Ministry of Finance.

The Public Business Entities

Dependent on a ministry or an autonomous, service management or the production of public goods subject to compensation (industrial, commercial, transport, and the like). In general, they fall under private law.