Whistleblowers need EU protection – lives, environment and money at stake

 https://whistleblowerprotection.eu/

PRESS RELEASE  (UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 17 OCTOBER 14.00 CET)

Trade union and NGO coalition launch: Whistleblowers need EU protection – lives, environment and money at stake

On 17 October a platform calling for EU-wide whistleblower protection is launched by the first 44 signatories of a joint statement. It will be open for additional organisations and individuals to sign after the launch. Following the before summer of the trade secrets directive and the LuxLeaks trial, the lack of protection of whistleblowers at EU-level has come into sharp focus.

Platform statement:

Whistleblowers need EU protection – 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 – for example – 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 workers’ 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.

Signatories at launch:

  • Eurocadres – Council of European Professional and Managerial Staff
  • ETUC – European Trade Union Confederation
  • Transparency International EU
  • EFFAT – European Federation of Food Agriculture and Tourism Trade Unions
  • ETF – European Transport Workers’ 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 – 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 – 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 (Artículo 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 Público
  • Unionen
  • Whistleblower-Network Germany
  • YS

Press launch

17 October 2016; 12:30-14:30 at Press Club, Rue Froissart 95, 1040 Brussels

Preliminary agenda for the press event

12:30-13:00     Standing lunch

13:00-13:20    Launch of the platform

Speakers: President Martin Jefflén, President, Eurocadres

Esther Lynch, Confederal Secretary, ETUC

Nadja Salson, Policy Officer, EPSU

Renate Schroeder, Director, EFJ

Carl Dolan, Director, Transparency International EU Office

13:20-13:25     Video message from Antoine Deltour

13:25-13:40     Q&A

13:40-14:00    Discussion with MEP Javór Benedek, Greens/EFA

14:00-14:15     Discussion & Closing

14:30               END

Twitter: #whistleEU
@EUwhistleblowers

Contacts:

Janina Mackiewicz, Policy Officer of Eurocadres. [email protected], +32-473 533 770 and Martin Jefflén, President of Eurocadres, [email protected], +32-473 555 344