Eurocadres, the European organisation representing managers, said on Monday 5 September that it fully backs the draft directive for whistle-blowers that is currently being studied by the European Parliament.
The draft directive was launched on the initiative of the Greens (see EUROPE 11546) and has been studied by Eurocadres’ general assembly, which met on Thursday 1 September. Eurocadres says that the directive on business confidentiality adopted earlier this year (see EUROPE 11532) only covers a "partial exemption" for whistleblowers, which is insufficient, explains the organisation in a general assembly resolution calling for adoption of a special directive to protect whistleblowers.
The organisation calls on European trade unions and NGOs to take action together to back the draft directive. It says that it is managers that are most likely to have access to sensitive information that would merit being leaked in the public interest and an individual taking upon him or herself the responsibility to take action must be protected.
Although a legal basis for a directive on whistleblowing has not yet been defined, the European Parliament is working on a draft own initiative report that is due to be proved by the leaders of the political groups tomorrow. The rapporteur is due to be appointed at the meeting of coordinators on 26 September. Jean-Marie Cavada (ALDE, France) is the favourite (see EUROPE 11601). (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)