On 27 October 2017, Claudine Lepage, French Senator, reported again on the social situation in the European Patent Office (in French).

The original Q & A, published by the French Senate can be read here.

The original paper version in .pdf format is accessible here.

Translations are available in English and German.

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in October 2017 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:

• "‘EPC, EPO and UPCA lack guarantees for democracy, rule of law and human rights’" (Kluwer Patent Blog, 26-10-2017). Translations are available from English to French ( Kluwer Patent Blog publication text ) and from German to French ( Original answers in German from Professor Broß ).

• "Staff Union Welcomes Next EPO President, Hopes For Dialogue" (IP-watch, 23-10-2017).

• "SUEPO offers olive branch to EPO management" (WIPR, 20-10-2017). Translations are available in German and French.

• "SUEPO confirms position on Campinos election" (IPPro Patents, 19-10-2017). Translations are available in German and French.

• "Heavy task lies ahead of Antonio Campinos as future EPO president" (Kluwer Patent Blog, 19-10-2017). Translations are available in German and French.

• "Now German companies are beating the drum over poor patent quality" (The Register, 17-10-2017).

• "Reckoning With The “System Battistelli”" (IP-Watch, 17-10-2017). The full .pdf paper version of the article published by ip-watch.org is available here. Translations are available in German and French.

• "EPO – All Problems Solved?" (Kluwer Patent Blog, 16-10-2017). Translations are available in German and French.

• "Kritik an ehemaligem Chef des Europäischen Patentamts - Update" (Heise.de, 14-10-2017). Translations are available in English and French.

• "SUEPO willing to work with new EPO president" (IPPro Patents, 12-10-2017). Translations are available in German and French.

• "European Patent Office's document churning snatches Germany's attention: 'We are concerned about quality' " (The Register, 12-10-2017).  2 Pages!!! Please see here for PAGE 1 and here for PAGE 2. Translations are available in German and French.

• "Europäisches Patentamt: Neuer Chef muss Frieden stiften" (Berliner Zeitung, 11-10-2017). Translations are available in English and French.

• "Europäisches Patentamt: Chef Battistelli tritt ab, Campinos tritt an" (Heise.de, 11-10-2017).   Translations are available in English and French.

• "Campinos elected as EPO president" (IPPro Patents, 11-10-2017).

• "European Patent Office staff rep blames prez for 'slipping quality" (The Register, 11-10-2017). Translations are available in German and French.

• "Battistelli-Nachfolger: EUIPO-Chef Campinos soll zum EPA-Präsidenten gewählt werden" (Juve.de, 10-10-2017).

Other press articles published related to UPC - Unitary Patent - ILOAT etc.,

• "Top German court seeks comments on patent court challenge" (The Law Society Gazette, 23-10-2017).

See below the provisional version of report of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights (Title: Jurisdictional immunity of international organisations and rights of their staff)

PACE's call for stronger protection for rights of staff in international organisations, read here.

Many mentions of the European Patent Office in the adopted report which can be accessed here:

• English version

• French version

Letter dated 17 October 2017 from Ms Gabi Schmidt, member of the Bavarian State Parliament to Mr Benoît Battistelli, President of the European Patent Office. The letter to Mr Battistelli is available here.

We are in a transition phase: not only the chairmanship of the Administrative Council (AC) has changed, but we are also soon to welcome a new President of the Office. SUEPO has kindly asked Mr Ernst (AC Chair) to invite the candidates for President of the EPO to answer a few questions. The letter to Mr Ernst is available here.

 

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in September 2017 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:

Other press articles published related to UPC - Unitary Patent - ILOAT - Trade unions etc.,

• "Staff representative in Germany - a risky Job?" (courrierinternational.com, 21-09-2017). The .pdf paper version of the article published in French by courrierinternational.com is available here. Original article is in German and published by Süddeutsche Zeitung on 03 July 2017 (paid-subscription article).

• "German complaint against Unified Patent Court Agreement: deadline for submitting views is end of October" (Kluwer Patent Blog, 12-09-2017).

• "UPDATE: Complainant against UPC ratification in Germany confirmed as Ingve Stjerna" (IPKAT, 07-09-2017). See comments.

• "UPC: Düsseldorfer Rechtsanwalt Stjerna legte Verfassungsbeschwerde ein" (Juve.de, 06-09-2017). The .pdf paper version of the article published by Juve.de is available here. Translations are available in English and French.

In its 124^th session the Tribunal delivered a total of 80 judgments, of which only nine (!) concern the EPO. Of those only two cases were fully reasoned. Both concerned disciplinary sanctions. Six cases, of which 5 coming from the EPO, were summarily dismissed. This paper discusses the latest cases that illustrate the on-going changes in the jurisprudence the Tribunal. We also informs about changes in the composition of the Tribunal and the recent developments in the Appeals Committee.

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in August 2017 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:

• "Der neue Chef ist als Schlichter gefragt" (General-Anzeiger Bonn, 09-08-2017). Translations are available in English and French.

• "Chef mit Sozialkompetenz gesucht" (Münchner Merkur, 03-08-2017).

• "Sorry, psycho bosses, it's not OK to keylog your employees" (The Register, 02-08-2017).

Other press articles published related to UPC - Unitary Patent - ILOAT ect.

• "German court reveals reason for Europe-wide patent system freeze" (The Register, 22 August 2017).
  Translation is available in French.

• "Karlsruhe: Patentanwalt enthüllt Gründe für UPC-Verfassungsbeschwerde" (Juve.de, 18-08-2017).

• "UPC – Finally some News from the German Federal Constitutional Court" (Kluwer Patent Blog, 16-08-2017). Translation is available in French.

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in July 2017 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:

• "Gesucht und gefunden? Das Europäische Patentamt bekommt einen neuen Präsidenten" (Legal-Patent, 31-07-2017).

• "Chef mit Sozialkompetenz gesucht" (Stuttgarter-Zeitung.de, 31-07-2017). Translations are available in English and French.

• "Den Chef nennen sie Putin" (wiwo.de, 31-07-2017). 4 pages! The .pdf paper version of the article published by Wirtschaftswoche is available here.
  Translations are available in English and French.

• "Europe's 'one patent court to rule them all' vision may be destroyed by EPO shenanigans" (The Register, 20-07-2017).

• "Einheitliches Patentgericht: Unbekannter Kläger bremst Ratifizierung aus" (Legal-Patent, 13-07-2017). Translations are available in English and French.

• "EPO Begins Process For New President, Administrative Council Head" (IP-Watch, 12-07-2017).

• "Need a change? Well, the Euro Patent Office needs a new president..." (The Register, 06-07-2017).

• "Search for successor of EPO president Benoît Battistelli has started" (Kluwer Patent Blog, 06-07-2017).

• "Gewonde door val van nieuwbouw in Rijswijk" (AD.nl, 05-07-2017).

• "Persoon maakt metershoge val bij nieuwbouw octrooibureau" (Omroepwest.nl, 05-07-2017).
  Translations are available in English, German and French.

• "The Battistelli era will soon be over at the EPO; perhaps the current EUIPO boss is being lined up to succeed him" (IAM, 04-07-2017).

• "Europäisches Patentamt: Deutscher löst Dänen an Verwaltungsratsspitze" (Heise.de, 03-07-2017).

Question avec demande de réponse écrite E-002338/2017 à la Commission Européenne
European Patent Office (EPO) and social abuses
Question E-002338/2017 to the European Commission
Translations are available in English, German and Dutch.

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Answer by Ms Bieńkowska on behalf of the EU Commission E-002338/17 from 30 June 2017