València, 23 june 2025.- Today, June 23, is the World Day of the Corruption Whistleblower. The civic value of the day lies in the collective importance of defending those who denounce irregularities and contribute to the defence of the general interest. Whistleblowers, whistleblowers or informants often face situations of harassment at work and social that, in many cases, also have an impact on their personal and family life. And until recently, they did not have public mechanisms for advice, support and preventive protection.
The Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency (AVAF) was the first public institution in Spain to have a specific legal mandate in 2016 for the protection of whistleblowers of fraud and corruption. Even before Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2019 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law was approved.
In addition, since 30 May, the Agency has been the independent whistleblower protection authority of the Valencian Community and has the scope of application and functions provided for in Law 2/2003, of 20 February, regulating the protection of people who report regulatory breaches and the fight against corruption.
In its eight years of history, the AVAF has guaranteed the right to receive legal advice to any person who reports or denounces facts that may correspond to situations of corruption or fraud, regardless of whether they have been formally recognized as a protected person. In the exercise of this right, during 2024, the AVAF provided a total of 91 legal advice to whistleblowers.
In this regard, since 2016, the Agency has granted protection status to 35 natural persons and one legal person. In addition, in 2024, a further step has been taken in the comprehensive whistleblower protection system, becoming the first Spanish institution to offer psychological support to people protected by fraud and corruption alerts.
At the General Assembly on 12 and 13 June of the European Network of Independent Authorities for the Protection of Whistleblowers (NEIWA), the work of the AVAF in the protection of whistleblowers was recognised. The meeting also approved the Brussels Declaration, which reaffirms the principles of independence and cooperation shared by NEIWA members for the effective defence of whistleblowers and urges states to strengthen technical warning systems and guarantees for the protection of whistleblowers.
The full text of the statement can be consulted at the following link:
