Media Committee adopts Zammit Dimech’s whistleblowing proposals

Proposals include right of appeal, protection of intermediaries including journalists and public disclosure

“Several member states have failed to protect their own citizens who report breaches of law. This is why today’s adoption of a proposal to introduce and strengthen whistle-blowers protection across the EU is an important step for democracy and rule of law. It is also a clear message that we stand with investigative journalists including Daphne Caruana Galizia and Jan Kuciak, we owe this to them too”. MEP Francis Zammit Dimech made these remarks after an important vote taken during a meeting of the Committee responsible for media at the European Parliament in Brussels, adopting various proposals to strengthen EU-wide whistleblowers legislation proposed by the European Commission. 

Zammit Dimech, who was the EPP Group Rapporteur, said “If it was not thanks to whistleblowers, we would have never known of scandals such as Panama Papers and of corruption taking place as the highest levels. Whistleblowers take personal risks to report breaches of law, irregularities and corruption. This is why I have emphasised the need to defend citizens reporting breaches of law to safeguard public interest and proper functioning of democracy. Whistleblowers deserve legal, economic, social and psychological protection.”

The agreed compromise text between the major political groups also reflected the proposal of Zammit Dimech that whereas internal channels available are to be primarily used, should these be deemed inadequate by the reporting persons, they should be able to use external channels or directly reach out to the public. Zammit Dimech added that this was crucial as at times governments provided protection to those who only blow a whistle which is sound to the respective government.

Zammit Dimech, a member of the Committee responsible for media, was also the EPP group rapporteur on Media freedom and pluralism, which had emphasised the need of effective whistleblowers' protection and its crucial role in investigative journalism. During negotiations, Zammit Dimech ensured that protection via whistleblowers' legislation is also given to intermediaries facilitating report and/or disclosure of breaches of law including journalists.

The report adopted by the Committee underlined that authorities receiving and handling reports must be independent. In addition, Zammit Dimech’s key proposal on the right of appeal ad impartiality of authorities was also adopted. His proposal states that Member States are also to ensure that persons requiring protection as whistleblowers will be entitled to the right of appeal before the Courts and that under no circumstances can the authority tasked to grant such status or protection have an actual or potential conflict of interest with regard to whether or not to grant such status or protection.

Zammit Dimech has also tabled a number of proposals in the Committee on Legal Affairs of which he is a member. A vote on such proposals is expected to be taken by the end of the month.