Whistleblowers – on 25 December 2024 the provisions concerning external reports will come into force
On December 25, 2024, the provisions of Chapter 4 of the Act on the Protection of Whistleblowers of 14 June 2024 concerning external reports will come into force.
According to the Act, an external report is the oral or written submission of information about a legal violation to the Ombudsman or a public authority. This is an additional method—alongside internal reporting and public disclosure—through which a whistleblower can report legal violations. In practice, this solution may provide whistleblowers with greater flexibility in deciding to report irregularities, particularly in situations where they fear retaliatory actions within their own organisation.
The Personal Data Protection Office, as a public authority, is also subject to the obligations related to the implementation of the above provisions. These primarily include establishing a procedure for receiving external reports and taking follow-up actions, collectively referred to as the "external reporting procedure." Within this procedure, specific duties must be carried out, including, among others, the establishment of reporting channels, the preliminary verification of reports, and the conduct of investigative proceedings.
Below is a link to the subpage through which external reports can be submitted to the Personal Data Protection Office (UODO):