Expert opinion on draft whistleblowing law published

Update from:

Source: transparency.ee

Civil society organisation Transparency International Estonia (Korruptsioonivaba Eesti) has published an opinion on the government’s proposal for a new whistleblowing law to transpose the EU Directive on the protection of persons reporting breaches of Union law.

The report was submitted as a response to the consultation on the Bill organised by the Ministry of Justice and makes several observations, including:

  • Lacking clarity on whether persons who report wrongdoing to their line manager or within organisations with less than 50 employees would be protected.
  • A requirement on the whistleblower to show they have suffered damage in retaliation claims would be difficult for whistleblowers to prove.
  • A misdemeanour foreseen for knowingly wrongful reporting within internal reporting channels can become a deterrent to whistleblowing.

The Directive must be fully transposed into all 27 member states law by the 17 December 2021.”