Whistleblowers are vital for maintaining an open and transparent society, as they expose misconduct or hidden threats. To ensure that they are better protected against negative consequences, EU Directive 2019/1937 on the protection of whistleblowers came into force on 16 December 2019.

The goals of the EU Whistleblowing Directive are:

• to detect and prevent misconduct and breaches of laws and regulations

• to improve law enforcement by establishing effective, confidential and secure reporting channels to effectively protect whistleblowers from fear of retaliation

• to protect and enable whistleblowers by helping them to raise concerns confidently without fear of retaliation, including anonymity where required