Update: More information on the directive here.

Service provided by whistleblowers, combined with strong encouragement and protection of active whistleblowers, has proven to be a vital link between the public interest and enhancement of the public good, away from corruption, negligence, and malfeasance. Despite their protected position encouraging and even enabling them to reveal insider knowledge of wrongdoing, employees and stakeholders still hesitate to disclose insightful information to the public, for fear of retaliation.

To
enhance the critical encouragement of whistleblowers, the European Commission has
established  new safeguards in the
interest of freedom of expressions (Article 11 of the EU Charter of
Fundamental Rights) and law  enforcement  through  the  Whistleblower
 Protection  Directive. The
supranational law will enter into force twenty days after its publication in
the EU’s official journal. The new directive aims to
facilitate effective detection, investigation, and prosecution of organisations
breaching EU law on an internationally consistent level. Assembling and
unifying the previous fragmentation of whistleblower protections across the EU,
this horizontal legislative approach guarantees robust protection in both public
and private sectors.

For
further information, please contact Bettina Knoetzl or
your customary relationship professional at KNOETZL.