The Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas is an
independent administrative body, with its own legal status and
funding, dependent on the Ministerio de la Presidencia, whose purpose is to
conduct scientific studies of Spanish society. Its status as an
Independent Body was granted by
Law 4/1990, dated 29th June, and its organisation and functions were
regulated by
Royal Decree 1526/1990, dated 8th November.
Later,
Law 39/1995, dated 19th December, on the Organisation of the Sociological Research Centre, was passed.
This Law maintained the nature and functions of the centre outlined in
Law 4/1990 and in
Royal Decree 1526/1990, guaranteeing full transparency and public access to the results of
the centre's scientific work, in addition to greater ties between the centre and Parliament. Its
first final provision allows the Cabinet to modify the organisational structure of the
body and to enact any necessary provisions to apply and carry out the Law.
The passing of Law 6/1997, dated 14th April, on the Organisation and Functions of the
General State Administration, represented a new regulatory structure for independent
bodies, establishing in the third transitory provision, the adaptation of those
existing prior to the enactment of this Law.
Royal Decree 1214/1997, dated 18th July, adapts the Centro de
Investigaciones Sociológicas as an independent body regulated by the aforementioned Law 6/1997,
and at the same time applies the legal provisions established in
Law 39/1995 and substitutes
Royal Decree 1526/1990, including most of its provisions, which empowers the administratively
independent body to carry out the scientific study of Spanish society, wholly subject to the regulations
of any democratic Administration and, in particular, to the principles of objectivity and neutrality in its
actions, equal access to its data and respect for statistical privacy and the rights of the citizens.
This entailed modification of the activity framework of the Centre, to incorporate the legal provisions
regarding submitting a report to Parliament on the execution of the programme for the
preceding year. Likewise, it explains the principles of action in research
by survey, aimed at guaranteeing research transparency, use of the information
to fulfil the objectives defined and privacy protection for those surveyed.
It also sets out the new legal provisions related to accessing the Database,
which was previously regulated by an
Order dated 31st March 1993, guaranteeing personal privacy protection,
regulating access by MPs and Senators in the performance of their parliamentary
duties, and establishing monitoring mechanisms by Parliament and the
Autonomous Communities in whose territory the research is carried out.
Finally, this Royal Decree sets out the organisational structure of the Centre, based on the one
established by
Royal Decree 1526/1990, with the incorporation of the Advisory Board indicated in article
11 of
Law 39/1995, which includes people of recognised prestige in the area of social sciences,
with consultative and advisory functions with respect to the research projects.
Royal Decree 923/2009, dated 29th May, changes the organisational structure of the CIS, in compliance with
Law 30/2007, dated 30th October, on Public Sector Contracts. The CIS thus becomes an independent body providing
technical services to the general state administration and its associated or dependent bodies, in relation to
the Centre's main activities.
The Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas works under the principles
of objectivity and neutrality in its actions, of equal access to its data and of respect for the
rights of the citizens and statistical privacy, taking into account the provisions set forth in
Law 12/1989, dated 9th May, on the Public Statistics Function, and in
Organic Law 15/1999, dated 13th December, on Personal Data Protection,
regarding the limits to the use of information technology and other techniques and means of automated
handling of personal data, to guarantee the honour and personal and family privacy
of individuals and free exercise of their rights.
The CIS