01/02/2016

Report on Demonstration in The Hague on 28 January 2016

A demonstration took place on Thursday 28 January 2016 in The Hague. About 900 colleagues gathered in front of the Peace Palace — the seat of the International Court of Justice — and walked peacefully from the nearby French Embassy to the German Embassy.

The mobilisation was very strong.  The demonstrators were joined by Dutch Members of Parliament Ms Sharon Gesthuizen and Mr John Kerstens, French Member of Parliament Mr Philip Cordery, and a delegation of FNV, the largest Dutch union.

The aim of the demo was:

  1. To express our support :
    • to the SUEPO-Munich officials whom Mr Battistelli has dismissed (Els Hardon and Ion Brumme) and severely downgraded (Malika Weaver);
    • to the SUEPO-The Hague officials Jesús Areso and Laurent Prunier who are targeted despite their health conditions.
  2. To remind Gemany, The Netherlands and France that they bear a particular responsibility. They are among the most influential EPO Member States. Benoît Battistelli and his closest associates are French officials. Germany and the Netherlands are host states, where the violations of Fundamental Rights are taking place.

Dutch Media have given extensive coverage. Among the various TV programs, NOS nieuwsuur stands out for the interview with Vice-President (DG 1) Willy Minnoye, who stated that the fact that only personnel guilty of misconduct is targeted, and that the fact that five (5) of the latest targets are all SUEPO officials is a pure coincidence.  He also announced that the EPO does not agree with learned judges of the Dutch Court of Appeal that violations of fundamental rights trump the Organisation’s immunity, and that if in cassation the Dutch Supreme Court (who held a hearing on 29 January 2016) were to agree with the Court of Appeal, the EPO would not obey the Supreme Court, either. See the whole reportage on nos.nl by clicking here (from 32’57’’).

Further TV reportages:

Web/Newspaper articles:

Show more

01/02/2016

[Merkur] Europäisches Patentamt - Es kracht an allen Ecken und Enden

Merkur reported in an article dated 21 January 2016 about the recent dismissals of two staff representatives/union officials. Translations are available in English, French and Dutch.

ex16008cp (pdf) published 21/01/2016
ex16008cpe (pdf) published 21/01/2016
ex16008cpf (pdf) published 21/01/2016
ex16008cpnl (pdf) published 21/01/2016
26/01/2016

Actions continue at the European Patent Office: next demonstration on 28 January 2016

The next demonstration will take place on Thursday 28 January in the Hague. The demonstrators will march peacefully from the French Embassy (at 12:00 on the Carnegieplein) to the German Embassy.

21/01/2016

[Press] Press release relating to dismissals

The first press reports on the recent disciplinary actions against key Staff Union officials in Munich can be found below:

18/01/2016

Actions continue at the European Patent Office: next demonstration on 20 January 2016

The next demonstration will take place on Wednesday 20 January starting from the ISAR building at 12.30h. The demonstrators will march peacefully to the Bayerische Staatskanzlei.

18/01/2016

[Winfried Bausback] Reply from Prof. Dr. Winfried Bausback, Bavarian Ministry of Justice

SUEPO Munich received a reply from the Bavarian Ministry of Justice (translations are available in English, French and Dutch), Prof. Dr. Winfried Bausback, to the letter sent on 7 December 2016, in relation to the demonstration which took place on 10 December 2015. In his reply, he referred to the question posed by German MP Jutta Krellmann dated 8 October, which you could find here.

ex16006cp (PDF) published 04/01/2016
ex16006cpe (pdf) published 04/01/2016
ex16006cpf (pdf) published 04/01/2016
ex16006cpnl (pdf) published 04/01/2016
15/01/2016

[IPKAT] Breaking News from the EPO - SUEPO officials fired, downgraded

IPKAT reports on the outcome of the disciplinary procedures against three staff representatives/union officials.
Source: http://ipkitten.blogspot.de/2016/01/breaking-news-from-epo-suepo-officials.html

17/12/2015

[Jutta Krellmann] Question in the Bundestag

German MP Jutta Krellmann asked to the Bundestag the following question:

"what possibilities does the Federal Government see for defusing the situation and possibly bringing the conflict to an end?"

The reply is provided here (translations are available in English, French and Dutch).

ex15457cp (pdf) published 09/10/2015
ex15457cpe (pdf) published 09/10/2015
ex15457cpf (pdf) published 09/10/2015
ex15457cpnl (pdf) published 09/10/2015
14/12/2015

Press releases for early December 2015

IPKAT (04 December 2015)
“Boards of Appeal tell AC: we were never consulted”
Source: http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2015/12/boards-of-appeal-tell-ac-we-were-never.html
 
WIPR (07 December 2015)
“WIPR survey: Readers vent anger at EPO dispute”
Source: http://www.worldipreview.com/news/wipr-survey-readers-vent-anger-at-epo-dispute-9288
 
IPKAT (08 December 2015)
“Merpel pays a brief visit to Eponia”
Source: http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2015/12/merpel-pays-brief-visit-to-eponia.html
 
WIPR (08 December 2015)
“EPO staff to hold third demo in as many weeks”
Source: http://www.worldipreview.com/news/epo-staff-to-hold-third-demo-in-as-many-weeks-9300
 
Heise online (09 December 2015)
“Europäisches Patentamt: Streit zwischen Führung und Mitarbeitern spitzt sich rasch zu” (translations available in English, French and Dutch)
Source: http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Europaeisches-Patentamt-Streit-zwischen-Fuehrung-und-Mitarbeitern-spitzt-sich-rasch-zu-3036971.html
 
FOSS Patents (10 December 2015)
“Why would a patent office be afraid of bloggers? Only if it has something to hide. Like the EPO.”
Source: http://www.fosspatents.com/2015/12/why-would-patent-office-be-afraid-of.html
 
Junge Welt (11 December 2015)
“Unrechtsstaat im Staate”
Source: http://www.jungewelt.de/2015/12-11/020.php
 
More can be found on Techrights: http://techrights.org/wiki/index.php/EPO

10/12/2015

[Politico] Labor relations turn toxic in the European Patent Office

The political journalism organization Politico comments here (article of 08 December 2015; translations available in French and German) on the labor relations at the European Patent Office, in particular on the spike of suicides and staff unhappiness.

ex15456cpf (pdf) published 08/12/2015
ex15456cpg (pdf) published 08/12/2015
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