The right to speak out?

04.05.2016

Draft directive for the protection of whistle-blowers across Europe

The draft Directive aims to inspire the European Commission to use its power to propose legislation for the protection of whistle-blowers across Europe. The Directive aims to incorporate international standards on how to best protect whistle-blowers into EU law, thus ensuring the rights and mobility of workers and protecting both public institutions and private companies from fraudulent activities within their ranks

Whistle-blowers Directive

Time to prioritise the protection of whistle-blowers instead of attempting to silence them!

Whistleblowing is not just about freedom of speech. It's not just about protecting working conditions, and it's not just about protecting the internal market. It's about all those things and more. It's the only way in which a lot of otherwise secret information can be brought to light, and hence it's often the best way, at least for now, to uncover wrong-doing, corruption, and downright immoral behaviour.

Whistleblower protection

Greens present draft EU law as Deltour trial continues

The Greens/EFA group in European Parliament are presenting a draft for a new EU directive on whistleblower protection. The draft directive, which has been launched coinciding with the trial of Luxembourg Leaks whistleblower Antoine Deltour, aims to provide the basis and further impetus for a proposa...

Greens/EFA Round up

Debriefing of the Strasbourg plenary week 11-15 April 2016

Greens/EFA priorities for the Strasbourg plenary included air passenger data retention (PNR); strengthening data protection in the EU; Erasmus+ scheme; ensuring sustainable fisheries beyond EU waters; the refugee crisis and the EU-Turkey agreement; Panama Leaks: tax evasion and money laundering in the EU; the vote on the possible reapproval of glyphosate; Poland and the rule of law; EU trade secrets rules and the implications of whistleblowers; energy poverty: tackling poverty in the face of increasing household costs.

Trade secrets

New EU rules open the door to abuses and endanger whistleblowers

The European Parliament today adopted new EU rules on the protection of trade secrets. The Greens have expressed concern with the law, notably the excessive rights to secrecy for businesses and provisions that pose a threat to whistleblowers. After the vote Greens/EFA MEP Julia Reda stated: &ldqu...

Panama Papers

Greens call for an inquiry committee and present a draft mandate

In response to the Panama papers revelations, which showed criminals, wealthy individuals and firms channel funds through offshore firms to avoid paying taxes or hide illegal money, the Greens have called for an immediate response at EU level.

Trade Secrets

Must not outweigh the public interest

In many of the biggest political scandals of the past months – Luxleaks, Dieselgate and now the Panama Papers – we saw trade secret laws abused as a shield against investigation and exposure of how corporations are harming the public good, avoiding taxes and endangering public safety. Whistleblowers find themselves fighting for their freedom in court – or in hiding. And yet, the European Parliament is about to expand corporate secrecy and deter whistleblowing by adopting the Trade Secrets Directive.

Tax avoidance/Panama Leaks

EU Parliament must set up inquiry committee

In response to the Panama Leaks revelations, which showed wealthy individuals and firms channel funds through offshore firms to avoid paying taxes, the Greens have called for an immediate response at EU level. The Greens/EFA group is leading the push for the creation of a European Parliament inquiry...

Jan Albrecht interviews US whistleblower Bill Binney

NSA mass surveillance

Undeclared work

New EU platform must not become debating club

The European Parliament today voted to approve the establishment of a European Platform to prevent undeclared work. The Greens welcomed the new platform, with social policy spokesperson Terry Reintke stating: "Undeclared work is a widespread phenomenon in Europe, which leads to the exploitation...

Trade secrets

New EU rules open the door to abuses by unscrupulous firms

A legislative agreement on new EU rules on the protection of trade secrets was today endorsed by the European Parliament's Legal Affairs committee. The Greens have expressed concern with the law, with Greens/EFA MEP Julia Reda, commenting after the vote: “These new rules on 'trade s...

EU General Data Protection Regulation

The outcome of the negotiations and 10 key points

The new Data Protection Regulation aims at establishing a single level playing field on the ba-sis of high data protection standards, fit for the digital age. As part of the EU’s Digital Single Market it will make it easier for data controllers and users to know what their rights and obligations are and to enforce their rights.