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Structure and organigram

In this section you can find information about the structure of the Food Information and Control Agency, Autonomous Agency attached to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. AICA has a number of governing bodies, a governing body and a consultative and participatory body. Depending on the Directorate, its functional organizational chart is divided into different specialized areas composed of official personnel with inspection, technical, administrative and legal profiles, among others.

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Organs of government

Presidency

The President of AICA is Doña Ana María Rodríguez Castaño, Secretary-General for Agricultural Resources and Food Security, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

Functions

The Chair of the Food Information and Control Agency, O.A. corresponds to the holder of the General Secretariat for Agricultural Resources and Food Security.

Its functions include:

  1. The top management and the representation of the agency.
  2. Chair the Governing Council.
  3. Exercise the maximum direction of the staff and services of the agency.
  4. To submit to the Governing Council the proposal to modify the organizational structure and job relationship of AICA.
  5. To propose to the Governing Council the approval of the proposal of the Annual Action Plan of the Autonomous Agency, the preliminary draft budget, the proposal of the report of activities and the proposal of accounts for its approval, as well as its referral to the Court of Auditors through the General Intervention of the State Administration.

Governing Council

It is a collegiate body that acts together with the Presidency as the Governing Body of AICA.

  • The holder of the Presidency of the Agency.
  • The Vice-Presidency, which shall be held by the person in charge of the Agency’s Management.
  • Four members, appointed by the holder of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, who must have the rank of at least Director-General or assimilated, representing the Directorate-General for Food, the Directorate-General for Agricultural Production and Markets, the Technical Secretariat and the Directorate-General for Services and Inspection of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
  • The Secretary of the Governing Council will be an official of the autonomous agency Food Information and Control Agency, which will be appointed by the management. He will act with a voice, but without a vote.

  • Superior monitoring, supervision and control of the agency’s performance.
  • The approval of the proposal of action plans referred to in article 85 of Law 40/2015, of 1 October.
  • The approval of the proposal of objectives and indicators for the measurement of their compliance.
  • The approval of the preliminary draft budget and the annual accounts of the agency.
  • The elevation to the appropriate body of the proposal to modify the organizational structure and the list of jobs of the agency.
  • The approval of the annual report and activity reports.
  • Exercise the remaining powers conferred on him by the legal system.

Executive Body

Address

The Director of the Food Information and Control Agency, O.A., with the rank of Assistant Director-General, is the executive body of the Agency.

Since February 2025, the Director of AICA is María Fernández Sanz.

Functions

  1. To direct and represent the Agency, in the terms provided in the current legislation.
  2. To formulate proposals for provisions in areas specific to the Agency and to participate in the elaboration of those that may affect the body.
  3. Direct and coordinate their activities, approve the action plans and working procedures for the better development of the functions and fulfillment of the purposes that the Agency has entrusted.
  4. (Deleted)
  5. Promote and disseminate the annual report of the actions carried out and the results achieved.
  6. To manage staff and services, to formulate the proposal for the list of jobs and its modifications, to make appointments and dismissals, to evaluate the performance of staff and the functioning of services and to apply the disciplinary regime.
  7. To accredit the inspectors and order the inspections necessary for the fulfillment of the purposes of the Agency.
  8. Formulate the preliminary draft annual budget of expenses and income of the Agency and propose the necessary modifications, approve the expenses and order the payments.
  9. To perform its functions as a contracting authority; to enter into all kinds of acts, contracts and agreements with public or private entities, which are necessary for the fulfilment of its purposes
  10. Approve the annual accounts of the agency and submit them to the Court of Auditors through the General Intervention of the General Administration of the State.
  11. Disseminate the results generated by the market information system.
  12. The exercise of the sanctioning power in the cases and in the terms attributed to the AgencyLaw 12/2013, of 2 August. In order to establish the proper separation between the instructing and the sanctioning phase in the proceedings for infractions included in theLaw 12/2013, of 2 Augustthe resolution falls within the competence of the Director of the Food Information and Control Agency, O.A. it shall be the responsibility of the latter, in all cases, to agree on the commencement of the proceedings, as well as the appointment of a person as an investigator of the sanctioning proceedings, among the officials of the Autonomous Agency.
  13. Perform any other functions expressly assigned or delegated to him by legal or regulatory regulation.
  14. Collaborate with the Observatory of the Food Chain in the realization of the works, studies and reports.
  15. To issue the acts of management for the collection of the amounts of the sanctions imposed for infractions typified in theLaw 12/2013, of 2 August, which fall within the competence of the Agency.
  16. Resolve the sanctioning files, in the cases contemplated in theArticle 26 of Law 12/2013, of 2 August
  17. Agree on the declaration of confidentiality of the information contained in the sanctioning files, when necessary to guarantee the protection of the complainant, in accordance with the provisions of theArticle 29 of Law 12/2013, of 2 Augustand when the trade secrets of other interested parties or third parties, as well as any other confidential information that may appear in the file, must be declared confidential.
  18. To convene and chair the meetings of the Cooperation Committee of the Implementing Authorities referred to in paragraph 4 ofArticle 28 of Law 12/2013, of 2 August.

Advisory body

Advisory Council

The Advisory Board is the advisory and participation body of AICA whose organization and operation is established in Royal Decree 227/2014, of 4 April, which approves the Statute of the Agency. It includes representatives of the General Administration of the State, of the Autonomous Communities, of the production and transformation of the food sectors that are interested and of the distribution and consumers.

  1. The President, the Secretary-General for Agriculture and Food.
  2. The Vice-President, the Director-General of the Food Industry, who, in case of vacancy, absence or illness, will be replaced by the Director of the Agency.
  3. The following Vowels:
    • The Director of the Agency.
    • Five representatives, with the rank of Deputy Director-General, of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment, on the proposal of the Under-Secretary, Secretary-General for Fisheries; of the Director-General for Agricultural Production and Markets; of the President of the EAGGF and of the Director-General for the Food Industry, respectively.
    • Two representatives, with the rank of Deputy Director General, of the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness.
    • A representative, with the rank of Deputy Director General, of the Ministry of Finance and Public Administrations.
    • A representative, with the rank of Deputy Director General, of the Spanish Agency for Consumption, Food Safety and Nutrition (AECOSAN).
    • A representative of the National Market and Competition Commission.
    • A representative of the executing authority designated by each autonomous community, who may be its holder or the alternate that it has designated.
    • Nine representatives of the State-level organizations of the food and beverage industries, among which the presence of the organizations representing the interests of the different types of industrial operators of the sectors or markets referred to in Article 3(g) of this Statute shall be ensured.
    • One member for each of the agricultural professional organizations declared most representative at the state level, among which the presence of the organizations representing the interests of the sectors or markets referred to in Article 3(g) of this statute shall be ensured.
    • Three representatives of agri-food cooperatives, among whom the presence of the organizations representing the interests of the sectors or markets referred to in Article 3(g) of this Statute shall be ensured.
    • Six representatives of the state-wide associations of food distribution, wholesale and retail.
    • Two representatives of the Consumer and User Council.
  4. The Secretary of the Advisory Board, an official of the Agency who shall designate the Director for that purpose. He will act, with a voice but without a vote.

The meetings of the Advisory Council may be attended to inform or advise on specific matters, those officials, associations or independent experts who are convened. The interprofessional organizations of dairy, olive oil, table olives, wine and the Olivarero Communal Heritage Foundation will be able to attend the meetings of the Advisory Council as guests.

  1. Be informed of the Agency’s action plans, their implementation and the results achieved, as well as the means at its disposal to carry them out.
  2. To be informed of the progress of the State Register of Good Commercial Practices in Food Contracting.
  3. To know the annual report of actions of the Agency prior to its dissemination.
  4. (Deleted)
  5. Know and report the matters that the President submits for your consideration.

Organigram