^{photo: © Stefan Redel/istock}

In January, 2009, Transparency International commenced the European project “Blowing the Whistle Harder: Enhancing Whistleblower Protection in the European Union.

The project’s aim is to enhance the protection of whistleblowers – those who “blow the whistle” on wrongdoing – in the EU. One of the main goals of the project is to develop a comprehensive overview of existing protection mechanisms in 10 EU member states, accompanied by an analysis of how such mechanisms work in practice. This research provides a starting point for action to improve protection for whistleblowers in the public and private sector. The findings have been compiled into a regional report, which will serve as a practical tool for advocacy and awareness raising activities by all project partners.

In addition to the regional report, the project also developed recommended principles for whistleblowing legislation. These practical principles are based on experience with existing legislation and were developed in collaboration with international whistleblowing experts. In October 2009, the project partners presented a resolution on the protection of whistleblowers, which was unanimously adopted at TI's 2009 Annual Membership Meeting.

For further information please contact the responsible project coordinator at the TI Secretariat.

• Transparency International Bulgaria: www.transparency-bg.org
• Transparency International Czech Republic (TIC): www.transparency.cz
• TI Estonia: www.transparency.ee
• TI Hungary: www.transparency.hu
• TI Ireland: www.transparency.ie/
• Transparency International Italia: www.transparency.it
• TI-Latvia DELNA: www.delna.lv
  www.biznesspretkorupciju.lv/en/
• Transparency International Lithuania: www.transparency.lt
• Asociatia Romana pentru Transparenta / Transparency International Romania: www.transparency.org.ro http://www.avertizori.ro/
• Transparency International Slovakia: www.transparency.sk

It aims at building and maintaining cooperative partnerships with international experts and specialized organisations and engaging relevant stakeholders at the national and European level.

A roundtable meeting brought project partners together to deepen the common level of understanding on the issue of whistleblowing, to agree on a common project framework, and to establish common terms of reference for the assessment of national whistleblower protection legislation and its implementation.

Researchers from each partner country were tasked to draft a country report that includes an overview and analysis of whistleblowing protection in theory, in practice, and in the cultural context. The report identifies gaps and provides recommendations for the improvement of whistleblowing frameworks.

The results of the assessments were discussed and analysed at an international expert roundtable in July 2009. Participants in the roundtable included all project partners as well as experts and practitioners from around the world

^{photo:© David Hutton}

Following the expert roundtable, and incorporating the insights gained therefrom, the research was reviewed and finalized by the project partners, and compiled into a report. Subsequent research and electronic consultation among project partners, experts, practitioners, and whistleblowers themselves produced the draft recommended principles for whistleblowing legislation.