The following email has been distributed to all staff of the European Central Bank by its staff representatives, with ECB management approval:

From: Staff Committee
Sent: 23 November 2015 15:36
To: **All ECB Staff (with management approval)
Subject: 3 Staff Representatives suspended at European Patent Office!

 

Dear Colleagues, We regret to inform you that three Staff Representatives have been suspended at the European Patent Office last Friday, 13 November 2015 (note from SUEPO: three staff representatives were suspended on Tuesday, 24 November, not Friday, 13 November 2015). The (EPO) has the privilege of setting their own rules independent of national framework, which in the absence of adequate checks and balances leads to many abuses. The (EPO) has been suffering from a wave of suicides in recent years and the social tensions are very high (see reports of the French newspaper Le Monde, attached). Staff Representatives have to be protected from retaliating actions so that they can accomplish their function, which is to bring more balance to power. In an e-mail last year, we already informed you about the shocking dismissal of the President of the Staff Association of the World Intellectual Property Organisation. With this e-mail to all ECB staff, we aim to foster awareness of these events and contribute to have them satisfactorily addressed. With kind regards, Your Staff Committee. “Additional information can be found here:” http://www.fosspatents.com/2015/11/epo-labor-dispute-getting-completely.html http://www.worldipreview.com/news/epo-suspends-more-staff-claims-threats-of-violence-9187 http://www.pyleborgn.eu/2015/11/courrier-a-emmanuel-macron-sur-la-crise-a-loffice-europeen-des-brevets/ (French MP's letter to the French Minister of Economy and Finance)