A text to strengthen a “democratic pillar”.
Parliament definitively adopted this Wednesday a bill aimed at better protecting and supporting whistleblowers following a final favorable vote by the Senate.
The text must in particular define their status more precisely, guide their procedures, strengthen their rights and those of the people or associations assisting them and facilitate their financial and psychological support.
Read alsoThe trying journey of whistleblowers: “Sometimes I wonder why I got into this mess…”
From the Mediator, which shook the pharmaceutical world, to the "Luxleaks" in the financial world, many cases have been revealed by these whistleblowers, who often describe their commitment as a long ordeal with an uncertain outcome.
The text is the result of an agreement between deputies and senators.
It was the subject of a final unanimous favorable vote in the Senate and completes three months of legislative progress.
“Significant progress”
A whistleblower is defined as "a natural person who reports or discloses, without direct financial compensation and in good faith, information relating to a crime, misdemeanor, threat or harm to the general interest", or a violation of an international commitment by France.
The new law, which provides for certain exceptions such as judicial deliberations, medical secrecy and facts and information covered by national defense secrecy, must also make it possible to sanction those who seek to stifle their action by multiplying hostile procedures.
This text thus transposes into French law a European directive of 2019, going beyond what is required by European law, and corrects the imperfections of the pioneering law, known as “Sapin II” of 2016, little used to date.
"We have been able to obtain significant progress to improve their situation, their protection and the fact that they can issue the alert with a little more confidence", welcomed Glen Millot, of the association La Maison des Lanceurs. of Alert, very active in favor of this law.
