Spain’s international multimedia news agency and a major global Spanish-language wire service.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
EFE, formally Agencia EFE, S.A., is Spain’s international news agency and one of the most important providers of Spanish-language news worldwide. The agency supplies text, photography, video, audio, data and multimedia services to newspapers, broadcasters, digital publishers, institutions and other media customers. Its reporting covers politics, economics, business, culture, sport, science, health, the environment, tourism and general current affairs across press, radio, television and the internet. EFE was established in Burgos in 1939, at the end of the Spanish Civil War, through the consolidation of elements of earlier Spanish news organizations, particularly the Fabra agency and resources associated with Faro and Febus. The project was promoted by Ramón Serrano Súñer, then Interior Minister in the Francoist government, and journalist Vicente Gállego became its first managing director. Its institutional origin has remained part of the historical discussion surrounding the agency, including debate over the meaning and origin of the name “EFE.” The name is not generally treated as a conventional acronym, and competing historical explanations have linked it to predecessor agencies, Falangist terminology or the initials of organizations associated with its early environment. The agency moved its headquarters from Burgos to Madrid in 1940 and gradually developed a national network before beginning a sustained international expansion. A first delegation in Buenos Aires opened in 1965, followed by broader coverage and distribution arrangements throughout Latin America. EFE later established services in English, French, Portuguese and other language or regional formats, while maintaining Spanish as its principal editorial and commercial language. Its international reach was reinforced through cooperation with agencies and media organizations, including Reuters, United Press International, the European Pressphoto Agency and Central American partners. EFE’s transformation from a traditional wire service into a multimedia information company accelerated from the 1980s onward. It introduced satellite distribution, a Spanish news database, digitized photographic and press archives, international graphic services, online products and specialized editorial brands. These have included Efeagro for agriculture and food, Efecom and Efe-empresas for business, Euroefe for European Union affairs, Efeverde for environmental information, Efefuturo for science and technology, Efesalud for health, Efemotor for transport and Efetur for tourism. The agency also operates editorial and linguistic initiatives, notably the Urgent Spanish service, which evolved into Fundéu, a foundation dedicated to promoting clear and accurate Spanish in the media. EFE is state-owned through SEPI but operates as a news organization serving a broad customer base. Its public role was reinforced when Spain’s State General Budget recognized EFE as a Service of General Economic Interest in 2018. The agency has also received international recognition, including the Prince of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities in 1995 and the Eisenhower Award in 2016. In the 21st century, EFE has continued to combine a large international reporting network with digital distribution, specialist verticals, photographic archives, partnerships and awards. Reference descriptions report roughly 3,000 journalists from around 60 nationalities, operations in more than 180 cities across about 120 countries, and editorial desks in Madrid, Bogotá, Cairo and Rio de Janeiro; these operational figures may change over time.
History
EFE’s institutional lineage reaches back to Spain’s first news-agency initiatives. In 1865, journalist Nilo María Fabra helped establish the Correspondents Center, which entered into a cooperation agreement with Havas in 1870. The arrangement gave the Spanish organization rights to distribute Havas’s international news in Spain. In 1919, the Fabra agency emerged after Havas became involved in the ownership structure; Havas later withdrew, while several Spanish banks became shareholders. Agencia EFE was formally created in Burgos on 3 January 1939. Legal representatives of Fabra established the new company, which incorporated Fabra’s rights and name and also absorbed technical and human resources from Faro and Febus. This consolidation helped EFE qualify for participation in the international association of allied news agencies, whose rules generally limited representation to one agency per country. Ramón Serrano Súñer promoted the project, while Vicente Gállego, a journalist and former director of Ya, became its first managing director. Celedonio Noriega Ruiz served as the first president. EFE moved to Madrid in 1940 and opened a Barcelona delegation. It developed commercial and technical capabilities during the following decades, including the Comtelsa economic service created with Reuters in 1946 and its first telephotography receiver in 1951. The agency expanded outside Spain in the 1960s, opening its first American delegation in Buenos Aires in 1965 and developing foreign-language and international distribution services. It acquired the Fiel agency in 1968, began small English- and French-language services in 1969, and helped establish the Central American News Agency in Panama in 1972. In 1979, EFE became a full member of the Inter American Press Association. The 1970s brought organizational standardization and a broader single-brand identity. EFE published its first stylebook in 1976 under the guidance of linguist Fernando Lázaro Carreter. In 1977, its headquarters moved to Espronceda Street in Madrid and services previously separated under names such as Cifra, Cifra-Gráfica and Alfil were brought under the EFE name. The agency also created journalism awards, later replaced by the King of Spain Awards. During the 1980s, EFE strengthened its editorial and technological infrastructure. It created the Department of Urgent Spanish in 1981, joined the European Pressphoto Agency in 1984, changed its logo in 1986, launched EFE Data in 1988, established the EFE Foundation and began satellite distribution in 1989. EFE Data became an important Spanish news-information database, while the foundation supported research and training in information sciences. From the 1990s onward, EFE diversified through specialist subsidiaries and digital archives. Efeagro and Efecom appeared in 1990, Euroefe in 1994 and Efeverde in 2010. The agency launched further verticals in 2013, including Efefuturo, Efesalud, Efe-empresas, Efemotor and Efetur. A Portuguese service for Brazil began in 2001, and a Miami editing center was created in 2002 to adapt content for the American market. EFE’s photo archive became digital in 1998, while its international graphic and multimedia services expanded in the 2000s. The agency received the Prince of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities in 1995, jointly with philosopher José Luis López Aranguren. It created the Don Quixote Journalism Award with the King of Spain Award in 2004 and continued to organize exhibitions, language initiatives and international partnerships. In 2014, EFE marked its 75th anniversary with a new Madrid headquarters, exhibitions and conferences. It increased its stake in the European Pressphoto Agency to 49.9% in 2015, began an English multimedia service for Asia in 2017, and participated in the News 4 Europe line with other European agencies. In 2018, its public-service role was formally recognized in Spain’s budget framework. EFE remains an active, state-owned international multimedia news agency.
- 2018
Public-service recognition
[1]Spain recognized EFE as a Service of General Economic Interest in the State General Budget.
- 2014
75th anniversary and new headquarters
[1]EFE opened a new Madrid headquarters and held exhibitions and conferences marking its 75th anniversary.
- 2001
Portuguese service and SEPI transfer
[1]EFE launched a Portuguese service for Brazil and was transferred to SEPI.
- 1995
Prince of Asturias Award
[1]EFE received the Prince of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities.
- 1988
EFE Data launched
[1]The agency introduced what was described as Spain’s first news database.
- 1984
Joins European Pressphoto Agency
[1]EFE formally joined EPA with a 20% interest.
- 1981
Urgent Spanish Department created
[1]EFE established a linguistic department to promote consistent, accurate Spanish in its services.
- 1972
Central American News Agency formed
[1]EFE joined Central American media organizations to create ACAN in Panama.
- 1968
Acquisition of Fiel
[1]EFE acquired the Fiel news agency.
- 1965
First American delegation
[1]EFE opened a delegation in Buenos Aires, beginning a major expansion across the Americas.
Products and positioning
A principal international source of Spanish-language news, combining broad geographic coverage with text, image, video, audio, data and specialist editorial products.
News wire · 1939
Text news service
EFE’s core offering distributes continuous reporting across domestic and international news topics. Its text output serves newspapers, broadcasters, websites, public institutions and other professional information users, with Spanish-language coverage at the center and additional language services for selected markets.
News photography
EFE Photographic Service
The photographic operation supplies editorial images from EFE’s reporting network and maintains a large historical and contemporary archive. The archive became digital in the late 1990s, supporting search, licensing, distribution and multimedia publication.
Multimedia news
EFE Video and Multimedia
EFE produces and distributes video, audio and integrated multimedia packages for television, radio, websites and digital platforms. Its multimedia model extends the traditional wire service beyond text and photographs.
News database · 1988
EFE Data
Launched in 1988, EFE Data was an early Spanish news-information database. It represents the agency’s move into structured, searchable information products in addition to continuously distributed news copy.
Agriculture and food news · 1990
Efeagro
Efeagro is a specialist information service focused on agriculture, food production, agribusiness and related markets. It was created as part of EFE’s diversification into sector-specific journalism.
Environmental news · 2010
Efeverde
Efeverde covers environmental issues, climate, biodiversity and sustainability. The service has been associated with specialized environmental journalism, its own editorial guidance and an early emphasis on social-media distribution.
Language and editorial services · 1981
Fundéu and Urgent Spanish
EFE’s Urgent Spanish initiative was created to coordinate language standards and reduce inconsistent usage in news writing. In 2005 it was replaced by the Urgent Spanish Foundation, commonly known as Fundéu BBVA, which promotes clear and accurate Spanish for journalists and the wider public.
Marketing campaigns
- 2014EFE 75th-anniversary program
Spain · Latin America
EFE marked its 75th anniversary with a major commemorative exhibition, more than 30 traveling exhibitions in Spain and the Americas, and conferences involving European, Mediterranean and mobile-information news agencies.
Outcome. Expanded public and industry visibility for EFE’s historical archive and international role.
Brand decisions
2015
Increase in European Pressphoto Agency participationM&ABackground
EFE had participated in EPA since 1984 and collaborated with it on international graphic services.
Action taken
EFE increased its participation in the European Pressphoto Agency to 49.9%.
Aftermath
The move strengthened EFE’s position in European and international photo-news cooperation.
2001
Transfer to SEPIStrategyBackground
EFE had previously been administered through Spain’s Directorate-General for State Property.
Action taken
Ownership and administrative responsibility were transferred to the state holding company SEPI.
Aftermath
EFE continued as a state-owned but commercially operating international news agency.
1988
Launch of EFE DataProduct launchBackground
News customers were increasingly adopting searchable electronic information and database products.
Action taken
EFE launched a Spanish news database known as EFE Data.
Aftermath
The agency broadened its business from real-time wires into archival and structured information services.
1939
Consolidation into Agencia EFEStrategyBackground
Spain’s fragmented pre-existing news-agency structure included Fabra and resources associated with Faro and Febus.
Action taken
EFE was established with Fabra-related rights and incorporated technical and human resources from predecessor agencies.
Aftermath
The consolidation created a national agency able to represent Spain in international news-agency networks.
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