The fight against counterfeiting
The National Analysis Centre (NAC) and the Coin National Analysis Centre (CNAC)
Setting up of the NAC
In compliance with the fourth additional provision of Law 46/1998 
(73,6 KB) of
17 December 1998 on the introduction of the euro, added by Law 24/2001
of 27 December 2001, the Banco de España Executive Commission resolved to assign to the Cash and Issue Department the counterfeit banknote and
coin detection and analysis functions that had been entrusted to the Banco de España by that law.
It further resolved that the Cash and Issue Department would take on the functions of the National Analysis Centre (NAC) and Coin National Analysis Centre (CNAC), which had also been allocated to the Banco de España by that law. Moreover, in the exercise of these functions, the Cash and Issue Department is to co-ordinate with the National Police Corps brigade assigned to the Banco de España to investigate and combat counterfeiting offences, and with the Spanish National Mint's laboratory for the technical assessment of counterfeit banknotes and coins.
Main functions of the NAC
The NAC centralises the receipt of all suspected counterfeit euro banknotes found in Spain. It also analyses them and compiles and catalogues technical and statistical data on them, making this information available to the Banco de España Monetary Offences Investigation Brigade ("BIBE" by its Spanish acronym). The CNAC performs similar tasks in relation to counterfeit euro coins.
Subsequently the NAC sends to the Counterfeit Analysis Centre (CAC) located in the ECB, Frankfurt, the statistical and technical data on the counterfeit banknotes and coins received. To enable the centralised management of this information, the ECB, in conjunction with the NCBs, has designed a software application for processing information on counterfeits, which is then forwarded by it to the various authorities and centres involved in the fight against the counterfeiting of euro banknotes and coins.
The address of the NAC is as follows:
Centro Nacional de Análisis
Banco de España
Alcalá 48
28014 Madrid
Tfno. CNA: +34 91 338 6332 / 6319 / 6473 / 6474
Tfno. Banco de España: +34 91 338 5000
Fax. CNA: +34 91 338 6887
Correo electrónico: emisionycaja@bde.es
Other functions of the NAC
The NAC issues the technical reports requested by the Spanish judicial or police authorities and, if so required, it ratifies them personally through the appearance of specialised experts at any hearing of oral evidence that may take place.
It prepares the certificates for euro banknote authentication devices developed by industry, thereby collaborating in the first line of defence against counterfeiting, i.e. retail trade.
It decides whether or not to exchange banknotes that have been damaged (by fire, water or chemical agents) or of which a part is missing.
In addition, the NAC is in permanent contact with Eurosystem anti-counterfeiting experts (the CAC in Frankfurt and other NACs in Europe) and with those at other European and American national central banks.
The Cash and Issue Department has a very close relationship with the Banco de España Monetary Offences Investigation Brigade (BIBE). The NAC sends the BIBE information needed to perform its police tasks, which the latter completes with other data, in its capacity as an anti-counterfeiting National Central Office (NCO).