Source: European Parliament
The EU has in place an effective legislative framework for the protection of persons reporting breaches of EU environmental law. Directive (EU) 2019/1937[1] (the ‘Whistleblower Protection Directive’) provides robust protection to persons who report, within the organisation for which they work, or to competent authorities of the Member States, or to the public (under certain conditions), breaches of the EU law in certain areas, including environmental law, which they discover in the context of their work, and who, for this reason, suffer or may suffer retaliation in that context.
In the light of the information provided, this directive does not seem applicable to the individual circumstances of the case referred to by the Honourable Member.
The EU remains committed to upholding the International Whaling Commission’s moratorium on commercial whaling and has consistently voiced strong concerns about Japan’s whaling activities.
The Commission will continue to use all available diplomatic channels to engage with Japan to discourage such practices.
- [1] Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 23 October 2019, on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law, OJ L 305, 26.11.2019, p. 17.