The Information Offices abroad are bodies of the State Administration of Foreign Affairs regulated by Act 2/2014, of 25 March, on Spanish External Action and Service, repealing Royal Decree 632/1987, of 8 May, on the organization of the State Administration of Foreign Affairs. In accordance with the provisions of Royal Decree 419/2018, of 18 June, restructuring the Presidency of the Government (Spanish Official Gazette, BOE 19 June), Information Offices report to the State Secretariat for Communication.
The heads of these offices are Civil Servants with diplomatic status who report both to the Head of the respective Diplomatic Mission and to the Secretary of State for Communication through the Directorate General for International Information that is responsible for their management and coordination.
The Offices are a support instrument for information and for the creation of image for foreign policy actions of the State. The following are some of their functions:
• To promote and disseminate information about Spain abroad and, in particular, about the activities and communiqués from the Government and its President.
• To inform the Government of Spain about international current affairs of interest for our country through the analysis of media content.
• To organise news coverage on State visits and official visits of His Majesty the King, the President of the Government, members of the Government and other State authorities.
• Assistance and support to Spanish correspondents and to Spanish media companies. The Information Offices manage the accreditation of special envoys of the Spanish press with local authorities; processing of applications for permits - based on temporary importation - of work material for Graphics and Radio Journalists and, in general, they do everything necessary to facilitate the work of the Spanish press. They also facilitate journalists' credentials to attend official meetings.
• Accreditation in Spain of correspondents, collaborators and special envoys of the country in which the Office is located.
• Relations with the media of the country in which the Office is located.