Recommendation 1916 (2010) Final version

Protection of “whistle-blowers”

Author(s): Parliamentary Assembly

Origin - Assembly debate on 29 April 2010 (17th Sitting) (see Doc. 12006, report of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, rapporteur: Mr Omtzigt). Text adopted by the Assembly on 29 April 2010 (17th Sitting).

1. The Parliamentary Assembly, referring to its Resolution 1729 (2010) on the protection of “whistle-blowers”, stresses the importance of whistle-blowing as a tool to increase accountability and strengthen the fight against corruption and mismanagement.

2. It recommends that the Committee of Ministers:

2.1. draw up a set of guidelines for the protection of whistle-blowers, taking into account the guiding principles stipulated by the Assembly in its Resolution 1729 (2010);

2.2. invite member and observer states of the Council of Europe to examine their existing legislation and its implementation with a view to assessing whether it is in conformity with these guidelines;

2.3. consider drafting a framework convention on the protection of whistle-blowers.

3. It further invites the Committee of Ministers to instruct the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to:

3.1. organise a European conference on the protection of whistle-blowers;

3.2. draw up a proposal for a strong internal whistle-blowing mechanism covering the Council of Europe and all its partial agreements.