A new law is to be created in the EU to guarantee high-level protection to whistleblowers across a wide range of sectors in Europe.

Ana Gomes MEP told journalists at the sidelines of a plenary session in the European Parliament that despite the Portuguese hacker not being related to a company, he indirectly benefits from the new law because he "clearly sets out the general principals of protection of public interest."

On Monday night, negotiators from the European Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement regarding the first European directive on the protection of whistleblowers who report breaches of EU law.

This agreement now has to be formally approved by both the European Parliament and the Council.