Title page 1

Contents 3

GLOSSARY 4

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5

INTRODUCTION 8

THE CHOICE OF NATIONAL WHISTLEBLOWING AUTHORITY OR AUTHORITIES 10

Independence 10

Single or multiple authorities 11

The choice of authority: Mandate and institutional context 12

GENERAL ORGANISATION OF THE AUTHORITIES 13

Human and financial resources 13

Collaborations between authorities 13

Collaborations with civil society organisations 14

Gender equality and social inclusion 14

FUNCTIONS AND TASKS OF THE AUTHORITIES 15

Reception and handling of external reports 15

Protection of whistleblowers 16

Sanctions 16

Information and awareness-raising 17

Individual support 17

Monitoring implementation and revision of whistleblowing laws 17

Data collection 18

CASE STUDIES 19

Bulgaria - Commission for Personal Data Protection (CPDP) 19

France - Defender of Rights (DDD) 20

Ireland - Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner (OPDC) 21

Italy - National Anticorruption Authority (ANAC) 22

Slovakia - Whistleblower Protection Office (WPO) 23

The Netherlands - Dutch Whistleblowers' Authority (DWA) 24

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 26

REFERENCES 31