About the CN
Oversight
of the cni
The CNI, like any State body, is subject to political and economic-administrative oversight. The former is exercised by the Government, through the Delegate Commission for Intelligence Affairs (CDGAI), and the Congress of Deputies, within the framework of the Oversight Commission for Appropriations Earmarked for Reserved Expenditure; the latter is carried out by the Office of the General Comptroller of the State Administration, the Court of Auditors and, once again, the Congress of Deputies.
A estos controles se suma el judicial, clave para el funcionamiento del Centro y excepcional dentro de la Administración. La existencia de la Ley Orgánica Reguladora del Control Judicial Previo del CNI y su estricta aplicación hacen difícil encontrar un sistema que ofrezca más garantías a los ciudadanos de que ninguna de las actividades que realiza su Servicio de Inteligencia se ejecuta al margen de la legalidad.
Political oversight
Every year, the Government sets the missions to which the CNI must dedicate its efforts. To this end, the Government Delegate Commission for Intelligence Affairs (CDGAI) proposes the annual missions of the CNI to the President of the Government and includes them in the Intelligence Directive. This body is also charged with monitoring and carrying out a periodic evaluation of the implementation progress of the missions set out in the Directive.
Parliamentary oversight
The CNI submits the relevant information on its functioning and activities to the Congress of Deputies through the Commission that oversees the appropriations allocated to reserved expenses. The Commission is aware of the Intelligence missions established annually by the Government and the content of the CNI yearly report in which it evaluates its activities and the state and degree of achievement of the missions set for the previous period. The members of the Commission are also privy to official secrets; this is why, colloquially, the media usually refer to it as the “Official Secrets Commission”.
Economic oversight
Annually, the General State Budget Law establishes the items for reserved expenses, including the funds budgeted for the CNI. Since that amount limits the development of its activities, it can be considered as a prior oversight mechanism.
The CNI is assigned a delegated comptroller of the Office of the General Comptroller of the State Administration, tasked with permanent financial oversight of the organisation. The comptroller verifies that the CNI complies with the regulations and the principles of good management, budgetary stability and financial balance. The comptroller must also audit and approve the annual accounts of the CNI before they are made available to the Court of Auditors
.
Prior judicial oversight
When, in order to comply with the Intelligence Directive, the CNI must carry out activities in which the rights set out in paragraphs 2 and 3 of article 18 of the Constitution (domestic privacy and secrecy of communications) may be affected, prior authorisation from a supervisory judge of the Supreme Court must be obtained.
Political oversight
Every year, the Government sets the missions to which the CNI must dedicate its efforts. To this end, the Government Delegate Commission for Intelligence Affairs (CDGAI) proposes the annual missions of the CNI to the President of the Government and includes them in the Intelligence Directive. This body is also charged with monitoring and carrying out a periodic evaluation of the implementation progress of the missions set out in the Directive.
Parliamentary oversight
The CNI submits the relevant information on its functioning and activities to the Congress of Deputies through the Commission that oversees the appropriations allocated to reserved expenses. The Commission is aware of the Intelligence missions established annually by the Government and the content of the CNI yearly report in which it evaluates its activities and the state and degree of achievement of the missions set for the previous period. The members of the Commission are also privy to official secrets; this is why, colloquially, the media usually refer to it as the “Official Secrets Commission”.
Economic oversight
Annually, the General State Budget Law establishes the items for reserved expenses, including the funds budgeted for the CNI. Since that amount limits the development of its activities, it can be considered as a prior oversight mechanism.
The CNI is assigned a delegated comptroller of the Office of the General Comptroller of the State Administration, tasked with permanent financial oversight of the organisation. The comptroller verifies that the CNI complies with the regulations and the principles of good management, budgetary stability and financial balance. The comptroller must also audit and approve the annual accounts of the CNI before they are made available to the Court of Auditors
.
Prior judicial oversight
When, in order to comply with the Intelligence Directive, the CNI must carry out activities in which the rights set out in paragraphs 2 and 3 of article 18 of the Constitution (domestic privacy and secrecy of communications) may be affected, prior authorisation from a supervisory judge of the Supreme Court must be obtained.