*** Deutsche Version: https://sven-giegold.de/2016/europe-calling-whistleblower-unterstuetzen/ ***
My next online-discussion event “Europe calling” will take place on the 13th December. The idea behind “Europe Calling” is to bring Europe closer to its citizens. The model is simple but effective: using a “webinar” device on their personal computers, hundreds of people can participate in discussions on European politics and thus contribute to European democracy. This time we will discuss with LuxLeaks whistleblower Antoine Deltour, Julia Reda (MEP of the Pirate Party), Anja Osterhaus (Transparency International), facilitated by Sven Giegold.
This time’s topic “Supporting whistleblowers” is extraordinarily relevant these days since Antoine Deltour and Raphael Halet will be facing their second court trial in Luxembourg on 12 December. Thanks to these two whistleblowers and the support of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), the Luxleaks scandal was revealed in November 2014. In June 2016, Antoine Deltour was sentenced to a 12-month suspended jail term and a 1,500 € fine. Raphaël Halet was convicted to 9-month and 1,000 €. The appeal of the entire case that Antoine Deltour filed will start on 12 December 2016; while the architect of Luxembourg’s tax haven, Jean Claude Juncker is now president of the EU Commission.
In order to participate in our “webinar”, you have to register online here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/734233353447827972
Together with Antoine Deltour himself and two experts in the field of whistleblower protection, we want to discuss what steps need to be taken to protect those who help us to defend the common good by revealing dirty secrets.
Time: 13 December 2016, 8:00 PM CET
Place: Online!
Participants: Antoine Deltour, Julia Reda (MEP, pirate party), Anja Osterhaus (Transparency International), presented by Sven Giegold
The final report of European Parliament’s special committee TAXE highlighted the importance of whistleblowers and demanded their protection by European law. Unfortunately, such a legal framework does still not exist. Already in May 2016, the Greens/EFA group presented a draft directive for the protection of whistleblowers in the public and private sector that can be found here: http://www.greens-efa.eu/fileadmin/dam/Images/Transparency_campaign/WB_directive_draft_for_consultation_launch_May_2016.pdf
For the background, please find here my press statement from April, including a chronology of the tax ruling scandal and my testimony in the first trial: https://sven-giegold.de/2016/luxleaks-trial-refusal-eu-commissioner-vestager-give-evidence-poor-show/
You are kindly invited to take part from your home or office via computer, smartphone or good old fixed line. You can ask your questions via online chat or get directly involved by posing questions and giving statements via your microphone. The speakers interact with the audience like in a normal room.
In order to participate in the “webinar”, you have to register online here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/734233353447827972
If you have any problems, or need technical advice, please contact my member of staff Felix Banaszak via felix.banaszak@gruene-europa.de or via phone: +49 211 93653011.
I would appreciate a lot if you could also spread this information among your friends and colleagues!