Whistleblowing Law
The Law on protection of persons reporting or publicly disclosing information on breaches (the "Whistleblowing Law") (SG No. 11 of 02.02.2023) transposes the requirements of Directive (EU) 2019/1937 and aims to ensure protection of persons in public and in the private sector, who report or publicly disclose information about violations of Bulgarian legislation or acts of the European Union, which became known to them in their capacity as workers, employees, employees, partners, shareholders, job candidates, interns, etc.
Obliged persons within the meaning of the Law are:
• employers in the public sector, with the exception of the municipalities with a population of less than 10,000;
• employers in the private sector with 50 or more workers or employees;
• employers in the private sector, regardless of the number of workers or employees, if their activity falls within the scope of the European Union acts listed exhaustively in the Law.
Obliged persons must establish an internal reporting channel that ensures the completeness, integrity and confidentiality of information and prevents unauthorized persons from accessing that information and enables to store the information. Obliged persons must review their internal whistleblowing and follow-up rules at least once every three years, analyse the practice of implementing this law and, if necessary, update the rules.
Municipalities with a population of less than 10,000 and employers with fewer than 50 employees may use a common channel for internal reporting.
Employers must designate one or more employees who are responsible for handling reports. These employees may be the officials in the structure of the enterprise or organization charged with the processing and protection of personal data. Entities obligated under the law may assign the functions of receiving and registering reports of violations to another natural or legal person outside their structure, as well as use a channel for submitting reports created by the economic group to which they belong.
The Whistleblowing Law enters into force from 04.05.2023, and the requirements regarding employers in the private sector who have between 50 and 249 workers or employees (chapter two, section I with art. 12 - 18) will apply from 17 December 2023.
The CONSEJO team can assist with consultations on the implementation of the Whistleblowing Law, the Protection of Personal Data and the Protection of Information. CONSEJO also offers services with the provision of a Personal Data Protection Officer, who will fulfil the duties assigned under the Whistleblowing Law.
Implementation of management standards
CONSEJO Ltd. is a consulting company with over 20 years of practical experience in the development, implementation and maintenance of management systems in accordance with international standards and regulatory requirements. The company provides consulting services in the areas of quality management, environmental management, occupational health and safety, food safety, information security, cybersecurity, risk management and sustainable development. Our expertise covers standards and schemes such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 22000, ISO/IEC 27001, IFS Food, BRCGS and HACCP, as well as consulting services related to NIS2, DORA, GDPR and EcoVadis.
The CONSEJO team has been involved in over 1,500 projects for organizations across various sectors of the economy, including manufacturing, construction, energy, information technology, transport, trade, the food industry and services. Our approach focuses on developing management systems that work effectively in practice, tailored to the specific characteristics and needs of each organization. We work closely with our clients, providing consulting support, staff training and assistance during implementation. We strive to deliver high-quality services within the agreed deadlines and solutions that support successful certification and create long-term value for businesses.
