Source: deintegriteitscoordinator.nl
A whistleblower protection Bill to transpose the EU Directive on Whistleblowing has been adopted by the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament, it has been reported.
The Bill has been the topic of much discussion and debate with several amendments made during parliamentary sessions to progress the Bill, including proposals for administrative sanctions as well as several other suggestions to improve the Bill, beyond the minimum standards of the Directive. Anti-Corruption NGO Transparency International Netherlands has been monitoring the Governments’ approach to transposition given the importance of strong whistleblower protection in the fight against corruption.
The deadline for the Directive to be fully transposed was 17 December 2021. The Netherlands and several other of the 27 EU Member States are now over one-year delayed in transposing the Directive into their national legal systems.
It is expected the Bill will be discussed in the Senate soon. The next step is for the Bill to be approved by the Senate. If passed, the new law is likely to enter into force in March or April 2023.