Glossary
External Reporting Channel
A reporting route operated by a national competent authority, available as an alternative to internal channels. EU Directive 2019/1937 Article 11 requires each member state to designate authorities that receive reports directly, bypassing the employer. Reports made externally carry the same protection from retaliation as internal reports. Examples include Germany's Bundesamt für Justiz and France's Défenseur des droits.
Full definition
Article 11 of EU Directive 2019/1937 requires each member state to designate one or more competent authorities to receive reports directly from whistleblowers, bypassing the employer's internal channel. Examples: Bundesamt für Justiz (Germany), Défenseur des droits (France), Autoridad Independiente de Protección del Informante (Spain), ANAC (Italy), Huis voor Klokkenluiders (Netherlands). External reporting carries the same protection from retaliation as internal reporting.
Related terms
- Internal Reporting Channel A confidential mechanism inside an organisation through which employees and other workers can report breaches. EU Directive 2019/1937 Article 8 requires every legal entity with 50 or more employees to operate one, accept reports in writing, orally, or through a physical meeting, acknowledge within 7 days, and provide substantive feedback within 3 months.
- Competent Authority A national body designated to receive whistleblower reports directly from reporters, bypassing the employer. Each EU member state designates one or more competent authorities under EU Directive 2019/1937 Article 11. Examples: Germany's Bundesamt für Justiz, France's Défenseur des droits, Italy's ANAC, Spain's AAI, and the Netherlands' Huis voor Klokkenluiders.