The Banco de España’s mission is to support stable economic growth. To this end, it pursues both price and financial system stability and, through its analysis, contributes to other economic policy-making. It publishes a range of documents and research papers on subjects relating to the economy, finance, its history and activities, and other topical issues; and under the Single Supervisory Mechanism it supervises Spanish banks to ensure public trust in the stability of the banking system.
Among the key responsibilities of the Banco de España are economic analysis and research. This involves the study and monitoring, inter alia, of the following fields: the Spanish economy and its environment; economic policies, with a special focus on Eurosystem monetary policy; and the banking and financial system.
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Cash plays an important role in the proper functioning of the economy. Euro banknotes and coins are the only legal tender in the euro area and the only form of public money that is directly accessible to all citizens; thereby a key factor for social inclusion of the most vulnerable groups, with limited access to new technologies. In addition, cash allows us to have a means of payment in case of unavailability of electronic payment systems.
This section offers further information about the euro coins and notes, as well as historical data and information about the peseta.
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The Central Balance Sheet Data Office (CBSO) of the Banco de España compiles, processes, prepares and analyses economic and financial data of Spanish non-financial corporations in order to get a better insight into these companies. This information is also used to draw up the financial accounts of the Spanish economy and to analyse business performance and the effects of monetary policy measures on business financing and earnings. The CBSO conducts specially tailored surveys on a voluntary basis with collaborating firms to obtain more detailed and richer information.
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The Institutions’ Conduct Department assumes functions directly aimed at the public, such as the Claims Service, dealing with queries and information to consumers and financial education. It also supervises the conduct of financial institutions and participates in the drafting of regulations on transparency and the protection of banking customers.
The Banco de España’s responsibilities include helping to maintain financial stability in the face of risks and systemic vulnerabilities, be they cyclical or structural. To achieve this, the Bank can introduce macroprudential regulatory requirements for the banking system.
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In this section, users can consult a series of resources with legal information on banking law and the financial system.
The content of this section has been designed to provide a source of documentation, albeit of no legal value.
The legally valid texts can be found in the corresponding official bulletins.
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The main objective of the Eurosystem, of which the Banco de España is a member, is to maintain price stability. To achieve this, the European Central Bank manages monetary policy in the euro area, through which it aims to influence the cost and availability of money in the economy.
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One of the responsibilities of Banco de España is resolution planning (preventive function) to address situations in which banks are failing or likely to fail and there are no other possible alternatives; the FROB is responsible for implementing the resolution scheme (executive function). The resolution seeks to minimize the cost for taxpayers, ensure the continuity of critical functions and services, and avoid adverse effects on financial stability.
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Payment and securities settlement systems are key elements of a country’s economic and financial activity and, broadly speaking, constitute the infrastructure used to move assets within an economy. As a result, the smooth functioning of settlement systems is vital for financial stability.
Promoting the smooth functioning of payment systems is one of the Banco de España’s functions. The Bank is also responsible for their oversight, which is the basic tool for identifying and assessing inherent risks, and for verifying that all systems are equipped with proper control mechanisms.
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Climate change is an increasingly pressing concern for the public at large. It may have serious implications for inflation, financial stability and growth. Within our remit, central banks and financial sector supervisors are playing a significant role in tackling it and smoothing the ecological transition.
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The importance of financial sector activity, for both the economy and society at large, makes it essential to promote its smooth functioning and protect the stability of the financial system overall. Safeguarding the solvency, liquidity and smooth functioning of banks through microprudential supervision is, therefore, in the public interest.
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