Bundesrat passes law to protect whistleblowers

 

BERLIN – Germany’s upper house, or Bundesrat, unanimously passed a law to protect whistleblowers on Friday in a bid to halt corruption, belatedly implementing an EU requirement.

The measures seek to shield whistleblowers who reveal wrongdoing in the public sector and private companies from dismissal and harassment.

The step also requires the authorities and companies to create contact points where potential whistleblowers can pass on information about fraud, corruption or violations of animal welfare or environmental protection rules.

The lower house, or Bundestag, passed a first draft of a whistleblower law late last year but it was halted by the Bundesrat after states governed by opposition lawmakers complained this would create too much of a financial burden on smaller companies.

A mediation committee worked out a compromise, removing elements from the original draft that would have meant more effort and expense for companies, according to Günter Krings of the opposition Christian Democrats.

Under the compromise, whistleblowers must give preference to internal reporting offices. The measures no longer require companies and organizations to offer a channel for anonymous reports, although many companies have done so.

The law transposes a corresponding EU directive into national law, though as it comes late, Brussels has already introduced infringement proceedings against Berlin.