European Union Directive on Whistleblower Protection (2019)

Region: Europe & Central Asia
Category: Law and Legislation
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Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2019 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law

The EU Directive on whistleblower protection is considered one of the most ambitious whistleblowing protection legal reform projects in the world. The Directive sets out the minimum legal and institutional standards on the protection of whistleblowers that must be implemented across the 27 Member States.  Its adoption exemplifies the hard-won success of an impressive civil society coalition whose cross-border collaboration and campaigning included the efforts of the membership of the Whistleblowing International Network, Transparency International and Eurocadres.

Each country with the European Union must transpose the Directive’s provisions into national law. Significant wide-scope national legislation will be required to protect whistleblowers, third parties and facilitators. The Directive also introduces mandatory requirements on handling whistleblowing internally in both public bodies and private businesses. For more information on transposition, please visit