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Since 2006

The main migration policy instruments in Spain:

Non-exhaustive list of key policy documents in the area of migration:

• National policies and legislation:
• Consult Spain’s national law database.
• Consult recent publications of the European Migration Network.
• EU legislation:
• Consult the adopted EU legislation on Migration and Home Affairs
• Ratified international treaties:
• 1978: ratification of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol.
• 2002: ratification of the 2000 Protocols on Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants.

The departments in charge of migration affairs in Spain:  

• Ministry of Labour, Migrations and Social Security: it is the main body in charge of migratory affairs in Spain. This Ministry, through the Secretary of State of Migration, develops the migration policy defined by the Government, including the policies regarding the integration of immigrants, the coordination of assistance to refugee and asylum seekers, the implementation of international programs of cooperation in migratory issues, and the relations with Spanish citizens abroad.
• Ministry of Interior: Together with its subordinate authorities it is the body dealing with border management, irregular migration, fight against smuggling and trafficking; cooperation with third countries regarding security in migratory issues, return and readmission issues, and the first reception of asylum seekers and the asylum procedure
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation: it is the body in charge of consular assistance for citizens abroad and visa policy; development cooperation with countries of origin and transit of migrants, and external and foreign policy aspects of migration.

Sources:

• European Migration Network (2017): Country Fact Sheet. Spain 2016. https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/26a_spain_country_factsheet_2017_en_0.pdf
• Ministry of Labour, Migrations and Social Security (2018): Secretaría de Estado de Migraciones. Accessed: 5.12.2018. http://www.mitramiss.gob.es/es/sec_emi/index.htm
• Spanish National Contact Point of the European Migration Network (2013): Annual Immigration and Asylum Policy Report. Spain 2013. https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/what-we-do/networks/european_migration_network/reports/docs/annual-policy/2013/26a.national_policy_report_spain_2013_en_version.pdf
• United Nations DESA-Population Division and UNICEF (2014): Migration Profiles - Common Set of Indicators. https://esa.un.org/MigGMGProfiles/Indicators/indicators.HTM 

Last update: December 2018