Statistics - Spain

Updated 11/2010

Legal requirements

Studies on the economic, social or political situation are sometimes produced using information submitted by those affected and statistical techniques. These studies play a key role in decision-making and drafting of public policies. As a result, businesses are in some cases obliged to submit information for these studies to the public authorities.

The 1989 Law on the Public Statistical Service sets out the legal framework regulating the production of official statistics in Spain.

Law on the Public Statistical Service

The statistics produced in Spain are included within the European Statistical System. The statistical system in Spain covers the State and Autonomous Communities. Detailed information on this system is available through the following link:

Statistical system in Spain

Statistical bodies

The responsibility for producing national official statistics lies mainly with the National Statistics Institute (Instituto Nacional de Estadística – INE). Other national public bodies, such as Ministries, Directorates-General and the Bank of Spain, also have their own statistics departments, which work with the INE and help it to compile the official statistics.

National Statistics Institute

Compulsory national statistics

The statistical activities of central government are set out in a National Statistical Plan, which covers a four-year period. This is broken down into annual programmes.

National Statistical Plan

All statistics included in the National Statistical Plans are compulsory. These plans set out the range of areas in which cooperation with the INE or other official bodies is compulsory.

Compulsory national statistics
Administrative procedure for penalising infringements relating to statistics

Compulsory Autonomous Community statistics

In addition to the national statistics, all Spanish Autonomous Communities have their own specific legislation on statistics, and their own Statistical Institutes and even Statistical Plans. As a result, businesses may have to meet slightly different requirements when submitting statistics, depending on the Autonomous Community in which they are established.

Statistical legislation of the Autonomous Communities

Administrative procedures

Submitting statistics

Your contribution can be submitted online through ARCE (program used to collate and store economic questionnaires). This INE program also provides detailed information on the survey timetable for the current year.

ARCE

All the information submitted by a business to the Tax Office on its income or to Social Security on its employees is automatically collated and does not need to be resubmitted.

Resources

The National Statistics Institute has a website with information on all aspects of statistics in Spain.

National Statistics Institute

Check also the legislation on this topic in:

Statistics - Spain