22/10/2018 (Agence Europe) – Members of the European Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee have postponed the vote on the directive to protect whistleblowers, initially scheduled for Monday 22 October to 20 November. The negotiations are stalling specifically on the scope of the directive and the sequenced approach to alert channels. Tonight, MEPs will adopt an opinion on the legal basis, based upon a note from the Legal Service. According to this note, consulted by EUROPE, Articles 153 (1 a and b) of the TFEU on the protection of workers, 77 (2) and 78 (2) on migration and visa policy, or even 157 (3) on equal opportunities and treatment between men and women are possible because they are compatible with the ordinary legislative procedure. As a reminder, MEPs want to considerably extend the legal basis of the directive, which is already substantial (see EUROPE 12102). (PH)