Swedish implementation of EU Whistleblower Directive
Published: June 3, 2021
The proposal for the Swedish implementation of the EU Whistleblower Directive went to the Legal Affairs Council in mid-April. The proposal was accepted without further comments by the Legal Affairs Council and a final bill could therefore be presented on 25 May. (Read more here, in Swedish)
There are no big surprises in the proposal, but compared with the previous Swedish whistleblower law (which is now being replaced) there are some changes. Most noticeably, it will be mandatory for organizations with more than 50 employees to set up a whistleblower channel, including some specific requirements on how reporting can take place and requirements on independent handling of disclosures.
What is considered a "whistleblower case" is also changed and broadened. An important change in the wording is that there should be a public interest in the information coming out. What is considered public interest is not entirely clear, but overall the threshold for what can be reported is lowered, at the same time as the lawmaker aims at getting rid of matters concerning individuals and focus more on systematic misconduct.
According to the proposal, the law will enter into force on 17 December, 2021.