• (MSServices Global tweet from 07/05/2020). ”What Happens Next? COVID-19 Futures, Explained by Marcel Salathé and Nicky Case”.

 

 

Media articles that might be of interest to our readers

 

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 29/04/2020). “Opposition against EPO plan to hold oral proceedings before examining divisions by videoconference”. Translations are available in German and French.

 

Kleine Anfrage

On 25 February 2020, the FDP parliamentary group submitted a “Kleine Anfrage” concerning the functioning of the EPO to the German Government. Translations are available in English and French.

 

Kleine Anfrage - Antwort der Deutschen Bundesregierung

The reply dated 11 March 2020 was published by the German Government yesterday, read more here. Translations are available in English and French.
 

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in March 2020 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:
 

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 03/03/2020). “UK backs out of the Unitary Patent system – a blow, the end of it, or just tactics?”.

• (Reuters published on 03/03/2020). “Singaporean defeats Chinese candidate to head U.N. patent office” (WIPO – World Intellectual Property Organization).

 

• (Mediapart.fr published on 03/02/2020). “Graves dysfonctionnements au sein de la justice financière”. (Article behind paywall) - Link to .pdf (password protected). Translations are available in English and German (password protected).

 

• (Affiches Parisiennes published on 13/09/2019). “L'INPI sous contrôle budgétaire”.

 

• (Capital.fr published on 03/09/2019). “Primes injustifiées, gestion immobilière douteuse… le carton rouge de la Cour des comptes au gardien des marques et brevets”.
   

• (lefigaro.fr published on 03/09/2019). “La Cour des comptes étrille la gestion de l’INPI”.
   

• (LesEchos.fr published on 03/09/2019). “L'Inpi épinglé par la Cour des comptes”.

   

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in January 2020 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:
 

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 18/01/2020). “What’s the worst that could happen – Constitutional complaints against the EPO in Germany”.

• (The Register published on 16/01/2020). “The dream of a single European patent may die next month – and everyone is in denial about it”.

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

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 08/01/2020). “The 10 most popular articles in 2019: EPO guidelines, EPO unrest, SPCs and UPC”. Translations are available in German and French.

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in December 2019 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:

 

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

 

• (The Guardian published on 20/12/2019). “Former France Télécom bosses given jail terms over workplace bullying”.
   

•       (ZDF.de published on 20/12/2019). “Ex-Manager von France Télécom verurteilt”.

 

• (NOS published on 20/12/2019). “Franse telecomgigant Orange veroordeeld om reeks zelfdodingen”.

• (Le Monde published on 20/12/2019). "France Télécom et ses trois anciens dirigeants reconnus coupables de harcèlement moral institutionnel".

 

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in November 2019 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:
 

• (Algemeen Dagblad - AD.nl published in paper version on 08/11/2019). “Personeel patentbureau is het zat”. Scan is available here.
   

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 08/11/2019). “Protest in The Hague against deteriorating working conditions at the European Patent Office”. Translations are available in German and French.

• (Omroep West published on 07/11/2019). “Medewerkers octrooibureau weer in opstand om angstcultuur: 'President gaat de dialoog niet aan'”. To view and or download the TV West broadcast about the protest in The Hague, click here. The full Tv West broadcast can be viewed here (frame about the EPO starts at 11:20 and ends at 12:00). Translations are available in English, German and French.

• (Rijswijks Dagblad published on 07/11/2019). “Personeel EuropeesOctrooibureau protesteert”

 

 

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

 

 

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in October 2019 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:

• (Springer-NanoEthics 31-10-2019 first online 22 July 2019). “RRI and Patenting: a Study of European Patent Governance”. If you have become curious and want to read the full study, the document in PDF format can be found here.

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 06-10-2019). “DE, UK, EPO: A Few Thoughts on Constitutional Matters”.

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 04-10-2019). “EPO president Campinos still has to show he is serious about restoring social peace”. Translations are available in German and French.

 

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

 

On 23 and 24 October the EPO Budget and Finance Committee will meet in Munich. On the agenda are CA/83/19 and CA/84/19.

Despite the excellent performance of staff during the last years, these documents foresee an unprecedented set of punitive measures, among which:

• A further increase of productivity of 31% for formalities staff and 23% for examining staff, the latter on top of the + 36% already achieved,

• A reduction of the salary progression and a further reduction of the career perspectives for all but the happy few, additionally

• The introduction of a “solidarity tax” (solidarity with whom?) of up to 9% on salaries and pensions, and

• An up to 25% reduction of the pension accrual despite an up to 10% increase in the pension contribution by staff,

• With the further hundreds of millions in cash surpluses thus generated annually to be stashed away in an obscure “EPO Treasury Investment Fund” (EPOTIF).

Is this a just reward for staff’s performance?

Is this in the interest of the EPO and its stakeholders?

Please join us for a demonstration in front of the Isar building if you don’t think so !

Read more here.