An international expert conference is organised by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture on October 3-4, 2019, Prague at the Congress Centre of the Czech National Bank. The conference will focus on the strategic approach and social aspects in public purchasing. The aim of the conference is to show this topic within the international context, to present national strategies for promoting responsible procurement, to get inspired by experience of individual contracting authorities, to focus more on selected topical issues, including experience of audit institutions and matters related to measurement, and to provide an outlook of expected trends and visions in responsible procurement. At the conference, contributions to socially responsible public procurement in the Czech Republic will be awarded.

Major recent whistleblowing affairs like LuxLeaks have sparked a debate in Europe about not only the content, but also the methods, of the disclosures involved. Some whistleblowers have faced criticism and even legal action - all against the backdrop of a legal landscape in Europe with widely varying national rules and regulations governing whistleblowing. Seeking to harmonize law across the EU while encouraging responsible and effective whistleblowing, the EC earlier this year adopted a directive for member states to enact comprehensive legislation that helps public and privatesector insiders report EU law violations by establishing formal procedures for whistleblowing and protections for those who use them. In this article, we look at what the EC’s directive might mean for whistleblowers and their employers within the context of the current patchwork of regulations in several CEE jurisdictions.