Dear SUEPO Members,

As we reflect on the past year, we are deeply grateful for your solidarity and unwavering commitment to our shared cause. Your support is the foundation of our collective strength and the progress we’ve achieved together in 2024.

This holiday season, we wish you moments of rest, joy, and connection with those who matter most. May this time renew your energy and inspire us all to continue standing united in 2025, ready to face new challenges and celebrate new successes together.

Thank you for being an essential part of our union. Together, we make a difference.

In solidarity and with warmest wishes,

Your SUEPO Central committee

Please consider joining SUEPO if you haven’t done so yet!

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in September 2024 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:

• (Managing IP published on 24/09/2024) "EPO critics reject ‘special treatment’ of applications". Article behind paywall !!! Translations are available for SUEPO members in German, French and Dutch.

• (IAM published on 23/09/2024) "EPO made “arbitrary” reallocations of Ericsson, Siemens and Bayer patent applications, says staff committee". Article behind paywall !!! Translations are available for SUEPO members in German, French and Dutch.

Other media articles that might be of interest to our readers

**Note: The translations are without guarantee, these were produced using automated translation.

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in July & August 2024 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:

• (Süddeutsche Zeitung published on 11/08/2024) "Europa wird bei künstlicher Intelligenz von China abgehängt". Article (paper edition) behind paywall !!! Translations are available for SUEPO members in English, French and Dutch.

• (ManagingIP published on 26/07/2024) "EPO v USPTO: In-house reveal patent quality concerns". Article behind paywall !!! Translations are available for SUEPO members in German, French and Dutch.

Other media articles that might be of interest to our readers

**Note: The translations are without guarantee, these were produced using automated translation.

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in June 2024 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:

• (ManagingIP published on 17/06/2024) "‘Bullshit in is bullshit out’: practitioners urge EPO quality drive". Article behind paywall !!! Translations are available for SUEPO members in German, French and Dutch.

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 05/06/2024) "EPO Patent Quality: Where do we come from, where do we stand, and where are we going?". Translations of the article are available in German, French and Dutch.
  
   

Other media articles that might be of interest to our readers

**Note: The translations are without guarantee, these were produced using automated translation.

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in May 2024 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:
 

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 14/05/2024) "The EPO – Lost in Regard to Translations?". Translations of the article are available in German, French and Dutch.

Other media articles that might be of interest to our readers

• (The Brussels Times published on 06/05/2024) "Federal officials to be granted leave for pregnancy loss".

**Note: The translations are without guarantee, these were produced using automated translation.

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in March 2024 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:
 

• (IAM published on 13/03/2024) "EPO seeking to boost transparency and patent quality, says VP for Patent Granting Process". Media article behind paywall !!! Translations are available for SUEPO members in German, French and Dutch.

Other media articles that might be of interest to our readers

**Note: The translations are without guarantee, these were produced using automated translation.

Welcome to our round-up of the most interesting articles, blog posts and videos trending in February 2024. Stay informed and engaged with the latest news and insights! Sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance. Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:

• (JUVE Patent published on 28/02/2024) "EPO staff petition Administrative Council to improve HR and patent quality". Translation of the media article is available in German, French and Dutch.

• (Frankfurter Rundschau published on 12/02/2024) "Europäisches Patentamt verweigert sich". Translation of the media article is available in English, French and Dutch.

• (ManagingIP published on 08/02/2024) "EPO staff vote through resolution urging quality control". Article behind paywall! Translations are available for SUEPO members in German, French and Dutch.

• (Le Monde published on 04/02/2024) "Le suicide d’un ingénieur de l’Agence spatiale européenne relance le débat sur l’immunité juridique de telles entités". Article behind paywall! Translations are available for SUEPO members in English, German and Dutch.

Other media articles that might be of interest to our readers

• (EuroNews published on 28/02/2024) "EU Policy. Unitary Patent is game changer, says EPO chief – interview".

•  (EuroNews published on 23/02/2024) "Exclusive: Fraud office handling complaints over jobs at European trade mark agency". Here is the link to the French version of the article.

• (ManagingIP published on 20/02/2024) "Weekly take: Secretive UPC flies in face of open justice".

• (Poltico published on 20/02/2024) "Staff unions call for EU personnel agency boss to quit".

**Note: The translations are without guarantee, these were produced using automated translation.

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in January 2024 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 28/01/2024) "Quality at the EPO: staff and industry concerns not addressed". Translations of the article are available in German, French and Dutch.

• (Mediapart published on 02/01/2024) "Propriété intellectuelle: l’agence européenne hors de contrôle". Article (French original text) behind paywall! Translations are available for SUEPO members in English and German.

• (Politico published on 16/10/2023) "How to snatch the EU’s best office? Know your trademarks".

Other media articles that might be of interest to our readers

**Note: The translations are without guarantee, these were produced using automated translation.

This document provides a non-exhaustive list of some articles, blog posts or videos published in November 2023 (sorted in reverse chronological order, not necessarily by relevance). Latest additions are highlighted in yellow:

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 24/11/2023) "Beat Weibel: Low quality patents harm European industry". Translations of the article are available in German, French and Dutch.

• (Kluwer Patent Blog published on 10/11/2023) "SUEPO report 2022: EPO management keeps ignoring staff in major reforms". Translations of the article are available in German, French and Dutch.

• (ManagingIP published on 09/11/2023) "IPQC founder seeks political backing after EPO no-show". Article behind paywall ! Translations are available for SUEPO members in German, French and Dutch.

Other media articles that might be of interest to our readers

**Note: The translations are without guarantee, these were produced using automated translation.

We hereby inform you of a letter from the Union Syndicale Fédérale (USF), addressed to the Ministers of all European Patent Convention (EPC) member states responsible for the European Patent Organisation (EPO). This letter serves as a powerful call to convene the long overdue Conference of Ministers of the Contracting States under Article 4a of the European Patent Convention (EPC).

The USF, a respected federation of trade unions in the European public service sector, is taking a proactive stance in advocating for transparency, accountability, good governance and fairness within the EPO. The Conference of Ministers of Contracting States under Article 4a EPC is a vital mechanism for addressing the pressing issues that have been raised within the EPO, and the USF's letter underscores the urgency of convening this conference.

We encourage you to reading the letter.

In solidarity,
SUEPO Central