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Andorra: police & security agencies

01 January 1991

Andorra: police & security agencies
bacdoc July=1995

The information in this country file was first published in the
handbook "Statewatching the new Europe" (November 1993). It was
compiled by Peter Klerks and extracted from a longer report which
is available from: The Domestic Security Research Foundation, PO
Box 11178, 1001 GD, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Andorra

450 km², 53,197 inhabitants

Long-form name: Principality of Andorra

Type: unique co-principality under formal sovereignty of
president of France and Spanish bishop of Seo de Urgel, who are
represented locally by officials called verguers

Capital: Andorra la Vella

Administrative divisions: 7 parishes (parroquies,
singular--parroquia)

Constitution: none; some pareatges and decrees, mostly custom and
usage

Legal system: based on French and Spanish civil codes; no
judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Executive branch: two co-princes (president of France, bishop of
Seo de Urgel in Spain), two designated representatives (French
veguer, Episcopal veguer), two permanent delegates (French
prefect for the department of Pyrenees-Orientales, Spanish vicar
general for the Seo de Urgel diocese), president of government,
Executive Council

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council of the Valleys
(Consell General de las Valls). Only about 7,000 people are
eligible to vote, the rest are classified as "foreign". Andorra
is a tax haven where many French and Spanish people have their
second address.

Judicial branch: civil cases--Supreme Court of Andorra at
Perpignan (France) or the Ecclesiastical Court of the bishop of
Seo de Urgel (Spain); criminal cases--Tribunal of the Courts
(Tribunal des Cortes)

POLICE STRUCTURES

The Servei de Policia is divided into a criminal investigation
team, a motorcycle traffic branch and a mountain rescue team. The
borders are guarded by French and Spanish customs and police. All
uniformed personnel carry revolvers. For special occasions 12 mm
riot guns, rifles and SMGs are available.

Source: Statewatch database on the WWW