Source: transparencia.pt
Anti-corruption NGO Transparency International Portugal have published its position paper on the countries’ new legislation to transpose the EU Directive on Whistleblowing calling the strengthening of whistleblower protection in the country a ‘civil society victory’ but raised concern for the minimalistic approach taken by legislators.
Portugal is one of only five out of 27 Member States to pass new legislation to implement the Directive before the 17 December 2021 official deadline for transposition.
Karina Carvalho, Executive Director of TI Portugal, said:
“…the reinforced protection of whistleblowers is a victory for civil society organizations. The work we have carried out with the European institutions and which resulted in the approval of the Whistleblower Protection Directive is now also bearing fruit at the national level. There is still a lot to be done, it is true, not only because Portuguese law only guarantees the minimum standards of protection enshrined in the Directive, but also because there has not been enough reflection on how its implementation will be operationalized by the obliged entities…”
Experts however feel disappointed that legislators ignored the recommendations of whistleblowing protection advocates and civil society organizations, such as TI Portugal, but also the European Commission itself which had encouraged EU Governments to go beyond the minimum standards required by the Directive to ensure coherent, horizontal protection across the Union.
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