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Almost all EU Member States have now implemented Directive (EU) No. 2019/1937 “on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law” (the "Whistleblower Directive") and the last deadlines for companies to put whistleblowing processes in place passed at the end of last year.

The Whistleblowing Directive, and the implementing laws at national level, require companies with more than 50 employees to put whistleblowing systems in place that provide for a confidential and secure avenue for reports to be made and require reports to be investigated and followed up within certain time frames.

While the Whistleblower Directive sets out minimum requirements to be met by reporting systems, many Member States have adopted laws that go beyond those minimum requirements. Further, there are aspects that are not prescribed or made clear in the Directive and which have been legislated differently by Member States (e.g., the obligation to follow-up on anonymous reports or the ability to establish a group-wide reporting system). Members of our Corporate Crime & Investigations team from offices across the EU have compiled a publication which provides an overview of the minimum requirements provided in the Whistleblowing Directive, followed by an overview of how the Directive has been implemented across several Member States. The publication maps differences in the implementation of the Directive, which will be of particular interest to multinational companies with presence in several EU countries.

Many of our clients across the EU are already seeing a marked uptick in internal reporting as result of the Whistleblowing Directive. Companies will need to ensure that robust and effective systems are put in place to ensure that reports are triaged and dealt with effectively in accordance with the new legal requirements.

Request a copy of the publication here.

 

Kyle Wombolt photo

Kyle Wombolt

Partner, Global Head - Corporate Crime and Investigations, Hong Kong

Kyle Wombolt
Jonathan Mattout photo

Jonathan Mattout

Partner, Deputy Global Head - Corporate Crime and Investigations, and Regional Head of Practice (EMEA), Paris

Jonathan Mattout
Dr Dirk Seiler photo

Dr Dirk Seiler

Partner, Germany

Dr Dirk Seiler
Enrico Maria Mancuso photo

Enrico Maria Mancuso

Partner, Milan

Enrico Maria Mancuso
Miguel García Casas photo

Miguel García Casas

Of Counsel, Madrid

Miguel García Casas
Lode Van Den Hende photo

Lode Van Den Hende

Partner, Brussels

Lode Van Den Hende
Susannah Cogman photo

Susannah Cogman

Partner, London

Susannah Cogman
Stuart Paterson photo

Stuart Paterson

Managing Partner, Middle East and Head of Middle East Dispute Resolution, Dubai

Stuart Paterson

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Kyle Wombolt photo

Kyle Wombolt

Partner, Global Head - Corporate Crime and Investigations, Hong Kong

Kyle Wombolt
Jonathan Mattout photo

Jonathan Mattout

Partner, Deputy Global Head - Corporate Crime and Investigations, and Regional Head of Practice (EMEA), Paris

Jonathan Mattout
Dr Dirk Seiler photo

Dr Dirk Seiler

Partner, Germany

Dr Dirk Seiler
Enrico Maria Mancuso photo

Enrico Maria Mancuso

Partner, Milan

Enrico Maria Mancuso
Miguel García Casas photo

Miguel García Casas

Of Counsel, Madrid

Miguel García Casas
Lode Van Den Hende photo

Lode Van Den Hende

Partner, Brussels

Lode Van Den Hende
Susannah Cogman photo

Susannah Cogman

Partner, London

Susannah Cogman
Stuart Paterson photo

Stuart Paterson

Managing Partner, Middle East and Head of Middle East Dispute Resolution, Dubai

Stuart Paterson
Cameron Dunstan-Smith photo

Cameron Dunstan-Smith

Partner, Johannesburg

Cameron Dunstan-Smith
Scott S. Balber photo

Scott S. Balber

Managing Partner, New York

Scott S. Balber
Jacqueline Wootton photo

Jacqueline Wootton

Partner, Brisbane

Jacqueline Wootton
David Chen photo

David Chen

Partner, Hong Kong

David Chen
Christopher Clay photo

Christopher Clay

Partner (New York), Tokyo

Christopher Clay
Kyle Wombolt Jonathan Mattout Dr Dirk Seiler Enrico Maria Mancuso Miguel García Casas Lode Van Den Hende Susannah Cogman Stuart Paterson Cameron Dunstan-Smith Scott S. Balber Jacqueline Wootton David Chen Christopher Clay