The fact that whistleblowers will be protected by law even if
they report concerns externally is causing confusion, so what does
external reporting mean under the EU Whistleblower Protection
directive?
First and foremost, the directive is clear that internal
reporting, i.e. that which is controlled and followed up by the
organisation, is preferred as the first port of call for a
whistleblower. However, external reporting channels must also be
available. A whistleblower may use either channel at his or her own
discretion, and they may choose to report externally if they are
not confident in the internal processes of the organisation.
For EU Member States, what does external reporting mean under
the EU Whistleblower Protection directive?
