Source: RA_2023_AFA_Web.pdf
A new report has found a significant increase of whistleblower reports in France.
A recent report from the French Anti-Corruption Agency (AFA) reveals a significant 40% increase in whistleblower reports, highlighting a near doubling in the last two years. In 2023, AFA received 435 cases, with 49% of these reports submitted anonymously. Of these, 62% led to further action, including 33 referrals to prosecutors. The report also notes that the quality of the reports has improved.
The AFA credited whistleblowers for exposing misconduct in high-risk sectors like manufacturing and finance, and committed to ensuring follow-up on these cases. Isabelle Jegouzo, Director of the AFA, expressed concern over corruption perception in France: “69% of the French believe that corruption is widespread in the country, and 26% say they have personally encountered it.”
The agency reiterated its commitment to improving protections for whistleblowers, stating, “We are dedicated to fostering a secure environment where individuals can report misconduct without fear.
Recent reforms to France’s whistleblowing law, including the Waserman Act, have enhanced the AFA’s role in receiving integrity breach reports, designating the agency as the external authority under a decree passed in late 2022.
Read the full report here.