Source: MPR – Plan of Action for Democracy and Corruption
A new whistleblowing authority has been established in Spain. The Autoridad Independiente de Protección del Informante (A.A.I.) is an administrative body tasked with protecting whistleblowers, managing the external reporting channel, and ensuring compliance with the national whistleblowing law. The authority is intended to be fully autonomous, acting independently of the government, public administration, or any other public or private influence.
The AAI was established by Royal Decree 1101/2024 Royal Decree of 29 October, as part of Spain’s new whistleblowing law (2/2023), which aims to transpose the EU Whistleblower Protection Directive 2019/1937.
Félix Bolaños, Minister for the Presidency, Justice, and Parliamentary Relations, emphasised that any citizen who becomes aware of a crime or irregularity now has an additional channel to file a complaint anonymously and with guarantees. The authority will conduct the necessary investigations and, if it deems the complaint credible, will pass it on to the Public Prosecution Service.
The authority will process information related to the General State Administration, the entire state public sector, and constitutional bodies, which, while not part of the General State Administration, are still part of the institutional framework. It may also hear complaints involving private entities, provided that the activities in question span more than one autonomous community.
The Independent Authority will also coordinate all the independent authorities that communities must establish in their territories, as well as all existing or new monitoring bodies.