New EU Directive on Whistleblowing

On 16 December 2019, a new EU directive came into force protecting those who report breaches of EU law (for example, laws on health and safety or working time). In several key respects, the standards in the directive are significantly higher than the equivalent standards under UK law. This raises the prospect of future UK whistleblowers receiving second-rate legal protection relative to their counterparts in EU member states. Member states have two years to implement the Directive. The extent to which UK workers will benefit, if at all, will depend on the terms of any trade deal negotiated with the EU.