07/10/2015

IPKat Blog, "Eponia rumours: House Ban, Vienna and under-strength Boards"

IPKat reports on several rumours in relation to the Boards of Appeal in the context of the upcoming Administrative Council meeting of 14/15 October.

  • Among the items listed on the Agenda is the disciplinary case of a member of the Boards of Appeal who had been suspended under allegations of defamation. At the time of the suspension, Mr Battistelli had forgotten that he had no power to discipline a Board member.
  • The EPO management is still seeking to reform the Boards of Appeal, and apparently to get them out of Munich. Mr Battistelli favours sending the Boards to Berlin, but a new plan appears to be to send the Boards to Vienna.
  • The AC is still not ready to make the long-overdue appointments required to bring the Boards up to full strength. Unless the necessary appointments are made, no fewer than seven chairperson positions will be vacant at the beginning of 2016, along with seven legal positions and thirteen technical positions.

Other sources suggest that Mr Wim van der Eijk, Chairman of the Enlarged Boards of Appeal is on long term absence.