Four EU countries are now one step away from being taken to court for failing to pass strong rights for whistleblowers.
In a major announcement on September 29, the European Commission took the next step in its infringement actions against Austria, Belgium, Romania and Slovenia. The Commission warned the four countries they are “failing to fulfill their obligations” to pass a new whistleblower protection law to comply with a 2019 EU Directive.
The Commission formally demanded that the countries comply and gave them two months to reply to Brussels. If their answers are not satisfactory, the Commission said it may refer the countries to the EU Court of Justice, which could issue fines.
Austria, Belgium, Romania and Slovenia are among 17 EU countries that are nearly one year tardy in passing a new whistleblower law. The Directive set a deadline of December 17, 2021, which only a few countries met. Though 17 countries still haven’t passed a new law, the Commission singled out the four countries for stepped-up enforcement.
Belgium, Romania and Slovenia have yet to pass a new law despite already having whistleblower protection systems in place. Belgium has had a law for federal-level public employees since 2014, Romania has had a law for public employees since 2004, and Slovenia has had whistleblower provisions in its anti-corruption law since 2011. Of the four, only Austria has never had a law on the books.
A spokesperson for Austria’s Labor and Economy Ministry told WNN he...
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