On 17 October a platform calling for EU-wide whistleblower protection is launched by the first 44 signatories of a joint statement, which include the Courage Foundation. The statement will be open for additional organisations and individuals to sign after the launch. Following the trade secrets directive and the LuxLeaks trial earlier this summer, the lack of protection of whistleblowers at EU level has come into sharp focus.
Speaking by videolink at the campaign launch in Brussels, LuxLeaks whistleblower Antoine Deltour explained why it is so important for international organisation like the EU to take a stand on whistleblower protection:
Antoine Deltour: The public interest needs to be defined at international level – Luxembourg’s public interest isn’t everyone’s #whistleEU
โ Courage Foundation (@couragefound) October 17, 2016
Deltour: The European Commission needs to take this initiative forward and not leave whistleblower protection to member states #whistleEU
โ Courage Foundation (@couragefound) October 17, 2016
Joint statement:
Whistleblowers need EU protection โ lives, environment and money at stake
Whistleblowers often risk ending up paying a high price for disclosing information. Yet whistleblowing can be essential in bringing to light โ for example โ illegal activities, corruption, activities which are contrary to public interest and threats to public health and safety. Whistleblowing can save lives, the environment and money.
It is high time for legislation on EU-wide whistleblower protection.
Whistleblower protection is in most cases a workersโ right issue. At the same time, not all whistleblowers are employees. Therefore, broad protection should be ensured covering also other than employees.
We call on the European Commission to urgently take action on bringing forward proposals on EU-wide legislation on whistleblower protection with a broad scope of groups and areas of activities protected.
We call on the European Council to support initiatives ensuring EU-wide whistleblower protection.We call on the European Parliament to continue to call for EU-wide whistleblower protection and to support initiatives ensuring EU-wide whistleblower protection.
Initial signatories:
Eurocadres โ Council of European Professional and Managerial Staff
ETUC โ European Trade Union Confederation
Transparency International EU
EFFAT โ European Federation of Food Agriculture and Tourism Trade Unions
ETF โ European Transport Workersโ Federation
European Federation of Journalists
European Federation of Public Service Unions, EPSU
IndustriAll European Trade Union
UNI Europa
Public Services International (PSI)
AGENQUADRI CGIL
Akava โ Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland
Antoine Deltour Support Committee
AQuMT
Associated Whistleblowing Press (AWP)
CFDT Cadres
CGSLB
CORRECTIV – Investigations in the public interest
Courage Foundation
CQFC-Cisl
Dansk Magisterforening, Danish Association of Masters and PhDs
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom
FABI โ Federazione Autonoma Bancari Italiani
FILCAMS CGIL Nazionale
First-Cisl
FNV
German Confederation of Trade Unions (DGB)
GMB
Institut Veblen
LBC-NVK
Public Concern at Work
Public Eye
Saco
SonTusDatos (Artรญculo 12, A.C.)
Stichting Publeaks
TCO
TEK
Transparency International France
Transparency International Ireland
Unio
UNION INTERNACIONAL DE TRABAJADORES DE ORGANISMOS DE CONTROL PUBLICO
Union Internacional de Trabajadores de Organismos de Control Pรบblico
Unionen
Whistleblower-Network Germany
YS