From Cooperation to Competition: Economic Intelligence in the Framework of the National Security Strategy 2013

Abstract

Spain suffers the impact of a lack of credibility in the international markets and has gone through serious problems in its access to credit. It is far from a novelty to state that the economy is a transversal factor that conditions, either directly or indirectly, our alternatives in other issues and that is key for a state´s security and welfare. How to adjust national structures of intelligence to provide answers to threats related to economic issues has become a very important point in the security strategies published in 2011 and 2013. In this article , we will try to shed some light on the current situation of the so-called economic intelligence in Spain, and how each of the strategies of national security along with the accompanying documents from different governments, explain and articulate this important tool (economic intelligence) in order to protect and promote Spain´s interests in the economic realm.