Germany and four other EU countries have been fined for failing to implement the EU Whistleblower Directive on time.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that Germany must pay €34 million to the European Commission for delaying the directive's adoption by over a year and a half.

The directive, which protects individuals reporting legal violations, was supposed to be implemented by December 2021 but only came into effect in Germany in 2023. Political disagreements within Germany delayed the process, with the Bundestag passing the law in late 2022 after earlier setbacks.

Other countries, including the Czech Republic, Hungary, Estonia, and Luxembourg, also face penalties, with fines ranging from €375,000 to €2.3 million.

The ECJ emphasized the importance of the directive in safeguarding whistleblowers and ensuring accountability.