Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX%3A62023CA0154&utm
The European Court of Justice (CJEU) has fined Estonia €500,000 and imposed a daily penalty of €1,500 for failures transposing the EU Directive on Whistleblowing.
Key highlights:
- Estonia received both a lump sum fine of €500,000 and a continuing daily penalty of €1,500 until it fully transposes the Directive.
- Estonia remains the only state with continuing daily fines.
- Highlights the Commission’s tough stance on prolonged non-compliance.
- Estonia is one of five Member States fined, along with Germany, Luxembourg, Czech Republic and Hungary.
- Estonia eventually adopted its Whistleblower Protection Act in May 2024. The law came into effect in September, more than 2 and a half years and was the second to last of the 27 Member States to adopt legislation to transpose the Directive.
Further Reading:
- CJEU Press Release: Failure to fulfil obligations: Five Member States are ordered to pay financial penalties for failing to transpose the Whistleblowers directive here: Failure to fulfil obligations: Five Member States are ordered to pay financial penalties for failing to transpose the Whistleblowers directive
- EUR-Lex, Judgment Text Commission v Republic of Estonia (Case C-154/23), 6 March 2025] (OJ C 2025/2339) here: C_202502339EN.000101.fmx.xml
- Transparency International Estonia’s information on whistleblower protection here: Whistleblower protection | Korruptsioonivaba Eesti
- Act on Protection of whistleblowers of work-related violations of European Union Law here: Act on Protection of Persons Who Report Work-Related Breaches of European Union Law–Riigi Teataja