Central level

State competences[1]

• Preparation of civil protection plans at state level.
• Studies of risk analysis.
• Wider research.
• Programmes and studies of civil protection for civilians.
• Management of the budget.
• Coordination and provision ongoing learning to civil protection bodies at state-level.
• Responsibility for leading and coordinating civil protection;
• Physical protection of people and goods in the situation of serious collective risks, public disaster or extraordinary catastrophe where the security and lives of people are in danger.
• Management of severe emergencies;
• Cooperation with the Autonomous Communities in the management of serious and less serious emergencies, especially via the 'Unidad Militar de Emergencias' established in 2007.
• Issuance of planning directives for various emergency plans; including objectives, alternatives and determination of time limits to hypothetical emergency situations.
• Coordination of different plans for resource contribution.
• Provision of information for the Crisis Cabinet.
• Representation in NATO's Senior Civil Emergency Planning Committee (SCEPC).

Regional level

AC competences

• Actions in the field of civil protection;
• Daily civil protection;
• Direction of activities in case of supra-local emergency.

Local level

Provincial competences

• Securing coordination and provision of municipal services.
  

Municipal competences[2]

• Protection of citizens;
• Direction of activities in case of local emergency;
• Prevention activities at local level;
• Establishing a Service for Civil Protection (>20 000 inhabitants).

Responsible ministries/bodies

Central

National Civil Emergency Planning Committee (interministerial)

Crisis Cabinet, led by Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Ministers

Ministry of Interior

Sources

Spain, Disaster Management structure, Vademecum, European Commission (Under Review)

Ley 2/1985, de 21 de enero, de Protección Civil  [Law 2/1985, of 21 January 1985, on Civil Protection].

Orden DEF/3771/2008, de 10 de diciembre, por la que se modifica la estructura orgánica y el despliegue de la Fuerza del Ejército de Tierra, de la Armada y del Ejército del Aire, que figura en el Real Decreto 416/2006, de 11 de abril, por el que se establece la organización y el despliegue de la Fuerza del Ejército de Tierra, de la Armada y del Ejército del Aire, así como de la Unidad Militar de Emergencias.

Ley 7/1985, reguladora de las bases del Régimen Local , Art. 25.2 [Law 7/1985, regulating the basis of Local Autonomy, Art.25.2].

Real Decreto 952/2018, de 27 de julio, por el que se desarrolla la estructura orgánica básica del Ministerio del Interior.

COVID-19 and its effects on the devolution of powers in Spain

In its website, the Spanish Government has dedicated a special section that contains comprehensive information on all the actions that the Government has taken to respond to COVID-19 crisis. The information includes:

• A list of all measures that have been approved,
• Links to the relevant information published elsewhere in the public authorities' websites, e.g. those of Ministry of Health which delivers the official information on the pandemic, of the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, etc.,
• The measures adopted in different fields such as: Labour; Economy; Industry, Trade and Tourism; Social Affairs; Culture and Trips and Transport;
• Links to the relevant legislation: a complete guide to the different legislative acts adopted to face the pandemic with more than 240 legislative acts at the different levels of governance: European, State, Autonomous Communities and in different policy fields such as health; security, interior, traffic and civil protection; transport and mobility; defence; economic affairs; and other.

[1] Art. 149.1.29 Spanish Constitution

[2] These competences shall be exercised in accordance to the conditions defined in the Regional and State laws, therefore there might be slight differences from one Autonomous Community to the other.