General Administration

Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment: structure, functions and departments

Pza. San Juan de la Cruz s/n, 28071 Madrid
http://www.magrama.es/

• Switchboard: +34 915 976 000
• General information: +34 915 976 577, +34 915 976 578
• General registration: +34 915 976 241, +34 915 976 701, +34 915 976 271
• Publications: +34 915 976 449

Organization chart

Organization chart of the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Source: MARM (November 2010)

*Note: this organization chart has been updated due to the modifications include in RD 1443/2010

Extended organization chart

 Commitments of the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment in Water:

1) The Minister is committed to strengthening the competences of the Ministry in matters of water, such as police powers in the field of public water.

2) Arias Cañete stressed that progress will be made in a more coordinated decision-making on water between the Hydrographical Confederation, the state water Society and the General Management for Water, who will lead this coordination.

3) As a result of national water agreement, the Minister has committed to a new national investment programming and activities that will implement the pact.

4) The Minister is committed to achieving full purification of the water pollution load in Spain, starting with the large towns and populations, regardless of their size, that are in environmentally sensitive areas.

5) It will encourage the use of reused water, releasing higher quality water for other purposes and assuring the maintenance of environmental flows.

6) The Ministry will definitely boost the adoption of inter-river basin plans, in compliance with the obligations of the Ministry under the Water Framework Directive.

General Secretariat of Rural

Corresponds to the General Secretariat for Rural Affairs, with the rank of undersecretary, under the higher direction of the Secretary of State, planning and development of state regulations, cooperation with the regions and the coordination of colleges affiliated to the Sector Conference Agriculture and Rural Development in regard to the powers of the General Secretariat for Rural Affairs.
 

Also corresponds to the General Secretariat of Rural:

a) The exercise of the functions of the ministry in terms of production and agricultural markets and livestock concentration of supply, animal and plant health, as well as planning, management and policy coordination department active in the modernization of farms agriculture, rural development, regional development, industrial and food markets.

b) determining the criteria for establishing the Spanish position at the EU and EU agreements with third countries with agricultural and food content.

c) The development of measures for promotion of energy crops with sustainability criteria.

d) Institutional relations with professional organizations and other entities representing the agricultural and food, without prejudice to the powers of the Secretariat of the department, and determining the criteria for establishing the Spanish position at the European Union and other organizations and international forums on matters of skills competition of the Undersecretary of the department, and determining the criteria for establishing the Spanish position at the European Union and other international organizations and fora on matters of the General Secretariat competition. Also is responsible for the promotion of sectoral studies and advertising campaigns.

The General Secretariat of Rural Associations presiding officers of Rural Development and as Vice Chairman of the full General Council of Agri-food Industry Interprofessional Organisations and chairing its standing committee. In addition, the department will hold with representation in agencies and corporate bodies that affect the agriculture, livestock, food and rural development, where appropriate.

Directorate General of Water

Under the supervision of the Secretary General for Territory and Biodiversity, Water Department performs the following functions:

• The development, monitoring and review of the National Hydrological Plan and the establishment of uniform criteria and systematization for reviewing the management plans of the agencies of the river basin, under the principle of sustainability.
• Coordination with sectoral or regional plans that affecting water planning.
• Development of information on hydrological data and water quality and, in general, one that allows a better understanding of the resources, the state of infrastructure and public water.
• Coordination of emergency plans and actions to be carried out in times of drought and flooding.
• Participation in the ministry representation in international organizations and monitoring of international agreements on matters within its competence.
• The preparation of the draft budget of the Department and its execution, control and monitoring.
• Contract processing and management, review and inspection of certificates of works and the inherent accounting documentation.
• The scheduling of projects financed with European funds, preparation of necessary documentation and monitoring and evaluation of such projects.
• The execution, supervision and monitoring of studies, projects and works of exploitation, control and maintenance of public water and water infrastructure assets within its competence.
• Inspection and control of the security of water infrastructure, the updating of the Inventory of Spanish reservoirs and the promotion and development of technical recommendations, manuals or standards of good practice in relation to safety of design, construction , operation and maintenance of dams.
• The development of standards and the execution of studies, projects and works of exploitation, control and conservation of groundwater and watching.
• Monitoring, tracking and control of the quality levels of inland waters and activities likely to cause pollution or degradation of public water, the boost and promotion of purification activities to improve and, if applicable, eliminate pollution of inland waters, boost and promoting measures to facilitate the reuse of treated water and, in general, all measures to promote water conservation and the development of plans and programs in these matters, in particular, review and monitor the implementation of the National Water Quality Plan.
• Monitoring and control of good renewable groundwater.
• The provision, review and cancellation of water concessions and authorizations for discharges within the jurisdiction of the ministry coordinating the establishment and maintenance of records and censuses water discharges in the river basin agencies.
• The preparation of studies and determination of the criteria of economic-financial system of the use of public water.
• Developing skills in the department resulting from the implementation of regulations on water, especially those from the implementation of the Water Framework Directive and its transposition into national law.

Organization chart of Directorate General of Water

The Assistant Management of Planning and Sustainable Use of Water perform the following functions:

• The development, monitoring and review of the National Hydrological Plan and the establishment of uniform criteria and systematization for reviewing the management plans of the agencies of the river basin, under the principle of sustainability.
• Coordination with sectoral or regional plans that affecting water planning.
• Development of information on hydrological data and water quality and, in general, one that allows a better understanding of the resources, the state of infrastructure and public water.
• Coordination of emergency plans and actions to be carried out in times of drought and flooding.
• Participation in the ministry representation in international organizations and monitoring of international agreements on matters within its competence.
• Also perform the duties for the Secretary General of the National Water Council, under Article 13 of Royal Decree 927/1988 of July, 29th.

The Assistant Management of Economic Planning performing the following functions:

• The preparation of the draft budget of the Department and its execution, control and monitoring.
• Contract processing and management, review and inspection of certificates of works and the inherent accounting documentation.
• The scheduling of projects financed with European funds, preparation of necessary documentation and monitoring and evaluation of such projects.

The Assistant Management of Infrastructure and Technology, performing the following functions:

• The execution, supervision and monitoring of studies, projects and works of exploitation, control and maintenance of public water and water infrastructure assets within its competence.
• Inspection and control of the security of water infrastructure, the updating of the Inventory of Spanish reservoirs and the promotion and development of technical recommendations, manuals or standards of good practice in relation to safety of design, construction , operation and maintenance of dams.
• The development of standards and the execution of studies, projects and works of exploitation, control and conservation of groundwater and watching.
• Developing skills in the department resulting from the implementation of regulations on water, especially those from the implementation of the Water Framework Directive and its transposition into national law.

The Assistant Management of Integrated Management of Public Water performing the following functions:

• Monitoring, tracking and control of the quality levels of inland waters and activities likely to cause pollution or degradation of public water, the boost and promotion of purification activities to improve and, if applicable, eliminate pollution of inland waters, boost and promoting measures to facilitate the reuse of treated water and, in general, all measures to promote water conservation and the development of plans and programs in these matters, in particular, review and monitor the implementation of the National Water Quality Plan.
• Monitoring and control of good renewable groundwater.
• The provision, review and cancellation of water concessions and authorizations for discharges within the jurisdiction of the ministry coordinating the establishment and maintenance of records and censuses water discharges in the river basin agencies.
• The preparation of studies and determination of the criteria of economic-financial system of the use of public water.
• Developing skills in the department resulting from the implementation of regulations on water, especially those from the implementation of the Water Framework Directive and its transposition into national law.

Under the superior leadership of the Ministry of Environment are attached to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment, through the General Management of Water, the following autonomous bodies:

• The Hydrographical confederation.
• The Commonwealth of Taibilla Channels.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment shall exercise supervision of the State companies covered by Article 132 of the revised text of the Water Act, approved by Royal Legislative Decree 1/2001 of 20 July