(C) Transparency International
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EU member states need to enhance their whistleblower protection laws [1]

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Date: 2024-07

As the year draws to an end, we reflect on two significant challenges shaping our future, climate change and corruption. Addressing these issues requires a collective commitment to the common good over private interests. Whistleblowers play a crucial role, exemplified by those who revealed that the United Arab Emirates intended to leverage their hosting of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) for oil and gas deals. They are essential to safeguard the public interest.

To effectively confront the hurdle ahead, we need more individuals with the courage to blow the whistle. Unfortunately, those witnessing wrongdoing frequently lack the necessary support to step forward, fearing personal, professional or legal repercussions, and even physical harm.

In 2019, the European Union adopted a directive binding the 27 EU member states to protect whistleblowers. The directive gave them until December 2021 to meet these new EU standards on whistleblower protection. Every year since, we look at the progress made by countries to pass laws to comply with EU requirements.

It is now two years since the deadline has passed and we continue to be deeply worried that some EU states do not take whistleblower protection seriously, considering only five countries had adopted whistleblower protection laws by the deadline, and 14 member states had still not done it one year after the deadline. All but two EU countries have adopted whistleblower protection laws. Thus, we decided to investigate these laws to assess whether whistleblowers would indeed be better protected and heard, at least on paper. While the legal protection of whistleblowers has improved in most member states, we still found reasons for concern.

When scrutinising the new whistleblower protection laws of 20 EU member states, we found that 19 fell short of crucial EU requirements. Encouragingly, many countries, in some instances, exceeded EU standards for protection. However, none meet best practices in all critical areas. Despite the strides taken, there's a pressing need for further improvements in whistleblower protection laws across the EU.





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[1] Url: https://www.transparency.org/en/news/eu-member-states-need-to-enhance-their-whistleblower-protection-laws

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