Legal regulations to protect whistleblowers are few and far between in Germany. This means that there is a considerable amount of legal uncertainty for all employees who want to expose breaches of law, misconduct and dangers in their working environment. This is why our central fields of work encompass influencing the political and legal developments with respect to whistleblowing. Our objective is a comprehensive legal protection of whistleblowers.
In the timeline below, we have set out the most important milestones and comments from the fields of politics, economy, and civil society for transposing the EU Whistleblower Directive in Germany. This list is continuously updated. However, if you think that there is an entry missing, we would be delighted if you sent a note to zittel@whistleblower-net.de.
The progress of transposition across all 27 Member States gives the EU Whistleblowing Meter.
28.04.2021 Coalition talks on a draft law by the Federal Ministry of Justice have broken down, the CDU/CSU and SPD were unable to reach a common denominator
To the press release of Transparency International, the Society for Freedom Rights and the WBN01/02.2021 BDA position paper calls for implementation of directives in violation of constitutional and EU law
On the BDA position paper and the WBN replica12/15/2020 SPD parliamentary group wants to provide comprehensive protection for whistleblowers - as long as they don't work for the secret service
About the position paper and the WBN commentary11/12/2020 Federal Ministry of Justice submits draft bill to departments
On the draft bill11/19/2020 Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht announces comprehensive whistleblower protections
To the article10/23/2020 One Year of EU Whistleblowing Directive and No Progress Visible - Position Paper by Whistleblower Network and Reporters Without Borders
To press release and position paper10.08.2020 DGB expert opinion on the directive: Better protection for whistleblowers - when, if not now?
To press release and expert opinion05.08.2020 Broad coalition of organizations calls on federal government to fully implement directive
The open letter17/04/2020 Whistleblower-Netzwerk criticises the Key Issues Paper of the BMWi (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy) on the Transposition of the EU Directive into National Law
To the Press Release30/01/2020: Bundestag (German Parliament) rejects the motion of the AfD for a subsidiarity complaint against the Whistleblower Directive
To the debate in the Bundestag13/12/2019: Parliamentary group of the Greens commits itself for a comprehensive transposition of the EU Directive into national law
To the comment (with video clip)26/11/2019: With the publication in the Official Journal of the EU, the time limit for national transposition starts, and it elapses on 17 December 2021
To the publication in the Official Journal21/11/2019: Former ECJ judge Colneric affirms equal status of internal and external whistleblowing
To the speech21/11/2019: Workshop of Whistleblower-Netzwerk and Transparency Germany identifies „key issues" in the transposition of the EU Directive
To the Blog08/11/2019: Parliamentary group of the Greens submits brief inquiry on experiences made with external reporting units (hotlines) in Germany so far
To the brief inquiry07/11/2019: Conference of the Ministers of Justice of the federal states requires expansion of the scope of validity of the EU Directive to national areas of competence
To the statement04/11/2019: Parliamentary group of the Greens submits brief inquiry on whistleblower protection as a prerequisite for the funding of top sports associations
To the brief inquiry11/10/2019: In the newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, Heribert Prantl calls for expansive transposition of the EU Directive
To the article09/10/2019: dbb (German Civil Servants’ Association) advocates the adherence to the official channels in the public service
To the press release07/10/2019: Whistleblower-Netzwerk and Transparency Germany require expansion of the scope of application of the EU Directive to national areas of competence
To the press release07/10/2019: EU Directive finally adopted by the European Parliament and the European Council
To the press release15/09/2019: BDI (Federation of German Industry) considers equal ranking of internal and external whistleblowing to be sign of distrust to companies
To the statement12/09/2019: Siemens Chief Financial Officer fears misuse of whistleblower protection
To the article30/08/2019: European Council (ALDE) advocates more support for whistleblowers
To the statement01/05/2019: EU Directive creates equal ranking of internal and external whistleblowing. Clarification by former Judge at the European Court of Justice, Mrs. Colneric, in the legal weekly magazine: Neue Juristische Wochenschrift 19/2019
To the blog contribution17/04/2019: German Confederation of Managers (DFK) demands protection for falsely accused people
To the press release16/04/2019: Whistleblower-Netzwerk and Transparency Germany demand comprehensive Whistleblower Protection Act
To the press release16/04/2019: European Parliament adopts EU Directive with a large majority
To the adopted Directive15/03/2019: Council of the EU confirms agreement with European Parliament
To the press release13/03/2019: German Nurses’ Association (DBfK) praises equal ranking of reporting channels
To the press release12/03/2019: Confederation of German Trade Unions (DGB) appreciates equal ranking of internal and external whistleblowing
To the press releaseIn October 2016, the European Union adopted a Directive on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law in their working environment. Within two years, the German legislator must create legal regulations that protect whistleblowers against retaliation. These must at least correspond to the level of protection of the Directive, and, in Germany in particular, they will involve a considerable improvement of whistleblower protection. After several failed attempts of various parties to pass a whistleblower law in Germany, this is a pleasing development. For effective protection, however, the minimum requirements of the Directive would have to be exceeded considerably. Whistleblower-Netzwerk and Transparency Germany have adopted a joint position paper on this.