Abstract The recently created Centro Nacional de Aceleradores (National Center for Accelerators, CNA) in Seville emerges as the first ion beam analysis facility in Spain. The laboratory is based on a 3 MV tandem accelerator model 9SDH-2 of NEC and it is primarily focused on material research and modification by means of IBA techniques: PIXE, RBS, NRA, PIGME and ERDA. The ions are delivered by two ion sources: Alphatross radio-frequency source and SNICS-II sputtering source. The ion beam handling system includes equipment for beam focusing, steering and diagnosis, a 90° analyzing magnet and a seven-port switcher magnet. A system based on magnetic steerers has been installed for high-precision beam energy scanning. In this paper the main elements of the laboratory will be described, focusing on the electronic equipment, detectors and the four beamlines planned for the moment: channeling line, microbeam line, multipurpose vacuum chamber and external microbeam. Moreover, the characteristics of the system as observed until now by means of performance tests, beam energy spread measurements and energy calibration experiments will be summarized.