Summary: The EPO staff protest at the Danish Consulate continues to receive attention from the press, which produces articles about the subject and explores the complaints of the staff

OUR series of exclusive reports about the EPO is about to continue with part 12, but before we press on, let's look back at some of the protests that partly result from press coverage and also yield press coverage, making the abuses more widely known.

"We have not yet seen the EPO's management effectively refuting the claims made by the staff."A reader has sent us this copy[PDF] from the leading Danish daily Jyllands-Posten (~120,000 people in circulation). The caption on the photo of Battistelli on the front page of the newspaper reads:

Welcome to the battlefield

Allegations of autocratic power, violation of the rule of law and suppression of staff unions are circulating in the European Patent Office (EPO) which is responsible for patents throughout Europe.

The title of the article is: "The war raging in the European Patent Office"

Here is the text in Danish (raw), starting with an article about banks (Finans being the source):

[Front page]

Bankaktier er blevet vor tids obligationer

Der er begrænset risiko og en stabil indtjening i de store banker, hvilket gør deres aktier til en moderne udgave af obligationer, pÃ¥peger analytikere. Nordea er enig i analogien.

CLAUS IVERSEN KRISTOFFER BRAHM

claus.iversen@finans.dk kristoffer.brahm@finans.dk

De store banker har siden finanskrisens hærgen udviklet sig fra vakkelvorne foretagender uden økonomisk sul pÃ¥ kroppen til velpolstrede og konservative pengemaskiner, der spytter udbytter ud til investorerne i en lind strøm. Senest annoncerede Nordea onsdag, at 70 pct. af overskuddet i 2014 – svarende til 18,6 mia. kr. – udbetales som udbytte. Det svarer til, at aktionærerne fÃ¥r 6 pct. i afkast af deres investering. Samtidig offentliggjorde Ringkjøbing Landbobank, at banken bÃ¥de udbetaler udbytte og skruer op for et aktietilbagekøbsprogram for at pleje aktionærernes interesser. Begge banker offentliggjorde Ã¥rsregnskaber onsdag.

Rene udbyttemaskiner

€»Bankaktier er ved at udvikle sig til vor tids obligationer. I erkendelse af, at det er svært at fÃ¥ forretningen til at vokse, har man som mÃ¥l at give aktionærerne et konkurrencedygtigt afkast. Bankerne er blevet rene udbyttemaskiner,€« siger Bjørn Schwarz, aktieanalysechef i Sydbank. Sammenligningen med obligationer hænger sammen med, at de fleste banker har fÃ¥et styr pÃ¥ nedskrivningerne og efterhÃ¥nden er blevet forholdsvis forudsigelige forretninger. €»Man kan godt kalde bankaktier for vor tids dividendeaktier. De har kapitaliseret sig i de senere Ã¥r og taget de nødvendige nedskrivninger. Der er ikke noget, der tyder pÃ¥, at der pludseligt kommer store afvigelser i indtjeningen,€« siger Thomas Eskildsen, bankanalytiker i Jyske Bank. Analytikerne peger pÃ¥, at Nordea har førertrøjen pÃ¥ blandt de store danske banker, men at Danske Bank ogsÃ¥ ventes at skrue op for udbyttebetalingen, nÃ¥r storbanken i næste uge fremlægger Ã¥rsregnskab.

En AA-rated obligation

Ifølge Alm. Brand Markets har Nordeas investorer udsigt til at blive mere forgyldte næste Ã¥r. €»Jeg anser Nordea-aktien for at være en AA-rated obligation med en forventet rente i 2015 pÃ¥ 7 pct.,€« siger Jesper Christensen, bankanalytiker i Alm. Brand Markets. Nordea forstÃ¥r analytikernes sammenligning med obligationer. €»Jeg kan sagtens følge den analogi. Nogle bankaktier er i dag attraktive, fordi bankerne er tilstrækkelig kapitaliserede og er i stand til at uddele en stor del af resultatet til aktionærerne, €« siger Christian Clausen, koncernchef i Nordea, der dog understreger, at der er tale om aktier og ikke obligationer.

Topchef for det europæiske patentkontor, EPO, Benoit Battistelli har titel af præsident og opfører sig ifølge kritikere mere og mere som en sÃ¥dan. Foto: Andreas Gebert

Velkommen til slagmarken Anklager om magtfuldkommenhed, brud på retssikkerheden og knægtelse af fagforeningerne fyger i det europæiske patentkontor, EPO, som har ansvar for patenter i hele Europa.

[Feature article]

Krigen raser i det europæiske patentkontor

KONFLIKT: Anklager om magtfuldkommenhed, brud på retssikkerheden og knægtelse af fagforeningerne fyger i den 7.000 mand store organisation, der håndterer patenterne i hele Europa.

Ved Isar-floden i München bor en organisation, hvor mange af de 7.000 medarbejdere tjener over 1 mio. kr. om Ã¥ret og ifølge kilder betaler omtrent 6 pct. i skat. En organisation, som er omfattet af immunitet, og hvis bygninger de lokale myndigheder ikke har adgang til. Som behandler og godkender patenter for milliarder, uanset hvilken valuta man regner i, og som afgør, om en virksomhed kan fÃ¥ eneret pÃ¥ sin opfindelse i op til 38 europæiske lande. Velkommen til European Patent Office. Og velkommen til slagmarken. For organisationen, der er helt central for at sikre, at innovation betaler sig, er plaget af omfattende stridigheder med protester fra europæiske dommere og medarbejderne, der offentligt har erklæret deres mistillid til topchefen. Læg dertil nedlæggelse af en uafhængig revisionskomité og en demonstration vendt mod organisationens formand, danskeren Jesper Kongstad, for ikke at gøre noget for at løse problemerne. EPO har et budget pÃ¥ omkring 15 mia. kr. og betegner sig selv som den næststørste europæiske organisation efter EU-Kommissionen. EPO er ikke en del af EU.

Fransk topchef

Den mellemstatslige organisation styres af topchefen, franskmanden Benoît Battistelli, der har titel af præsident, og som ifølge kritikere i stigende grad opfører sig som en sÃ¥dan ved at centrere magten omkring sig selv, bl.a. ved at hyre tidligere franske

kolleger til flere ledende poster og ved at svække fagforeningen i EPO, Suepo, med nye strejkeregler og andre tiltag. Konflikten i EPO er indtil videre fløjet under radaren i de danske medier. MÃ¥ske fordi patenter i det 21. Ã¥rhundrede er hypertekniske, eller fordi ingen politikere er direkte involveret i ledelsen af organisationen. Bestyrelsen bestÃ¥r af embedsmænd. SÃ¥ledes er den danske formand, Jesper Kongstad, til daglig direktør for Patent- og Varemærkestyrelsen i København. Det Europæiske Patentkontor har godt 40 Ã¥r pÃ¥ bagen og tæller i dag 38 medlemsstater. Har man først fÃ¥et et europæisk patent pÃ¥ sin opfindelse hos EPO, kan man udrulle det til næsten hele Europa og dermed sikre sine rettigheder pÃ¥ et af verdens største markeder. Omkring en tredjedel af de i alt 273.000 ansøgninger i 2014 kom fra europæiske virksomheder, mens resten var fra lande som USA, Japan og Korea. Der plejer at komme 1.500-2.000 fra Danmark. Hvis der opstÃ¥r uenighed om et patent, kan man klage til et appeludvalg, og hér skete der før jul noget, som i den grad har skabt furore i patentsektoren. Battistelli valgte nemlig at hjemsende en dommer fra sÃ¥dan et udvalg og forbød ham derefter adgang til Isar-bygningen. Furoren skyldtes, at Battistelli ifølge kritikerne slet ikke har beføjelser til at hjemsende en dommer, for dommeren skal være uafhængig og vurdere klager over Battistellis kontors afgørelser. Battistelli henviste til, at hans dekret kun var midlertidigt, hvilket dog ikke har fÃ¥et kritikken til at forstumme. Hvad dommeren præcist har gjort, er ikke blevet meldt officielt ud, men i flere af de blogs og nichemedier, der følger patentbranchen, vurderes det, at der var tale om et personspørgsmÃ¥l, nemlig at dommeren havde begÃ¥et ”bagvaskelse” ved at kritisere en af Battistellis allierede, kroaten Željko Topi, der har titel af vicepræsident og ikke vækker udelt begejstring i sit hjemland. Bl.a. har Juris Protecta, en kroatisk forening for retssikkerhed, skrevet til EPO, at Topis karrierestart i 1990’erne byggede pÃ¥ forbindelser til regimet.

Revisionskomité nedlagt

Battistellis præsidentielle tilbøjeligheder ses ifølge kritikerne ogsÃ¥ ved, at han i 2011 fik nedlagt en revisionskomité, efter at den kun havde fungeret i et Ã¥r. Komiteen nÃ¥ede bl.a. at erklære sig €»overrasket €« over, at de interne revisorer ikke skulle holde øje med et stort nybyggeri løbende, men først nÃ¥r det var færdigt. Den pÃ¥pegede ogsÃ¥ behovet for en whistleblower- ordning.

Et af medlemmerne, Paul Ernst, sagde efterfølgende, at fraværet af bl.a. antisvindelregler i EPO udgjorde en €»betydelig risiko€«. Efter at revisionskomiteen var blevet nedlagt, fjernede Battistelli ogsÃ¥ chefen for Intern Revision, hvilket ifølge Suepo ikke havde været muligt uden komiteens godkendelse – hvis den altsÃ¥ havde eksisteret. Efter komiteens nedlæggelse er der fortsat et revisionsudvalg bestÃ¥ende af eksterne revisorer, som i sin rapport fra 2013 bl.a. fortalte, at rejsereglerne indtil da havde forhindret, at man brugte lavprisflyselskaber. Samtidig fortalte man om flere hundrede skattesager, hvor nationale skattevæsener bl.a. har angrebet EPO’s praksis med at give bl.a. pensionister en skattegodtgørelse, nÃ¥r deres arbejdsliv slutter, og de skal til at betale skat igen. EPO mener, at godtgørelsen i sig selv skal være skattefri.

Konflikt med medarbejderne

Og sÃ¥ er der ikke mindst konflikten med medarbejderne i sÃ¥vel hovedkontoret i München som den store afdeling i Haag og et par smÃ¥afdelinger. Det foregÃ¥r via fagforeningen Suepo. Den har officielt erklæret mistillid til Battistelli, og op til sidste Ã¥rs folkeafstemning om Patentdomstolen skrev den direkte til den danske erhvervsminister, Henrik Sass Larsen (S), for at forklare, at Battistellis fremgangsmÃ¥der havde medført €»den værste konflikt€« i EPO’s historie. €»Som administrerende direktør i EPO har Benoît Battistelli (FR) indført en dubiøs ledelsesstil, som kan karakteriseres som autoritær og uden respekt for rettigheder, der er garantererede, fundamentale rettigheder i demokratiske lande som Danmark,€« stod der i brevet, der fortsatte: €»Alt dette er sket for øjnene af den danske delegation og Jesper Kongstads formandskab, som altid har støttet Mr. Battistelli,€« hed det i brevet, som Sass Larsen aldrig besvarede. Han ønsker heller ikke at kommentere det over for Jyllands-Posten. Netop Jesper Kongstads opbakning var i sidste uge Ã¥rsag til, at en Suepo-demonstration sluttede foran det danske konsulat i München. Suepos kritikpunkter er mange. Bl.a. er der Investigation Unit, EPO’s interne undersøgelsesgruppe, som man har €»pligt til at samarbejde med€«, og hvor man ikke kan have en advokat med, hvis man skal udspørges. Desuden mener kritikerne, at man heller ikke har retten til ikke at svare, hvilket kan føre til selvinkriminering. EPO forklarer, at metoden med den særlige gruppe skal give en let arbejdsgang, og skriver i et svar, at de ansatte €»ikke er forpligtede til at inkriminere sig selv€«. I ledelsens øjne skal de blot €»handle i god tro og med det højeste niveau af integritet.€« Medarbejderne føler ogsÃ¥ deres privatliv trÃ¥dt under fode, nÃ¥r de under sygdom er pligtige til at opholde sig pÃ¥ deres privatadresse i bestemte tidsrum, fordi EPO potentielt kan sende en doktor forbi for at kontrollere, om de reelt er syge, eller om det er rent pjæk. Desuden har Battistelli indført nye strejkeregler, som betyder, at medarbejderne skal bede ledelsen om at organisere afstemninger om strejker, ligesom der er indført restriktioner pÃ¥, hvor længe strejkerne mÃ¥ fortsætte, og hvor mange der skal stemme ja. Lønnen har de til gengæld ikke protesteret over, men ansættelsesvilkÃ¥rene i EPO er ogsÃ¥ lukrative. Sagsbehandlerne, der primært bestÃ¥r af højtspecialiserede forskere og ingeniører, og som skal kunne mestre engelsk, fransk og tysk, tjener fra 5.000 euro til godt 15.000 euro om mÃ¥neden i grundløn – mellem cirka 37.000 og 111.000 kr. De skal kun betale en intern skat pÃ¥ 6 pct. ifølge kilder, og de kan lade sig pensionere pÃ¥ nedsat takst som 50-Ã¥rige eller som 60- Ã¥rige til fuld takst, som er 70 procent af deres løn resten af livet. Og bosætter de sig i et land, hvor de bliver beskattet af pensionsudbetalingerne, bliver de i et vist omfang kompenseret af EPO.

Ingen vil sige noget

Ingen medarbejdere vil udtale sig med navn til Jyllands-Posten, fordi de samtidig er ansatte i EPO. De frygter at blive straffet, siger de. Det har heller ikke været muligt at fÃ¥ en kommentar fra Suepo, men fagforeningen har udsendt et væld af skrivelser, hvori den afviser, at konflikten handler om almindelige ansættelsesvilkÃ¥r, men derimod om tilsidesættelse af helt grundlæggende rettigheder. Ifølge adjunkt Christian Lyhne Ibsen, der er arbejdsmarkedsforsker ved Københavns Universitet, er der intet til hinder for strejkerestriktioner pÃ¥ det almindelige arbejdsmarked, og de har flere steder vist sig effektive for arbejdsgiverne. €»Man har set i bÃ¥de Storbritannien og USA, at procedurer, der gør det besværligt at strejke har været utroligt effektive, idet de tager pusten fra de ansatte,€« siger han. Professor og arbejdsmarkedsekspert Bent Greve, Roskilde Universitet, betegner overordnet set situationen i EPO som €»meget usædvanlig€« og peger bl.a. pÃ¥ strejkeretten, lægekontroller i hjemmet og ytringsfriheden. Medarbejderne mÃ¥ ifølge EPO gerne gÃ¥ med i f.eks. en demonstration, hvor man med bannere udtrykker sin holdning. Til gengæld mÃ¥ medarbejdere ikke have €»omfattende interaktion med medierne€«. De ansatte skal udvise €»det højeste niveau af integritet€« og €»forventes ikke at skade organisationens image eller interesser€«. Bent Greve forklarer, at medarbejdere – sÃ¥ længe de ikke udtaler sig pÃ¥ virksomhedens vegne – normalt gerne mÃ¥ udtale sig om arbejdsbetingelser. €»Det her er derfor langt videre end det normale,€« siger han. Ifølge den danske formand Jesper Kongstad har de mange reformer af EPO været nødvendige, fordi fagforeningen gennem Ã¥rene var blevet sÃ¥ magtfuld, at den nærmest var den reelle ledelse. Han understreger samtidig, at alle ændringer af medarbejdernes arbejdsforhold er besluttet af bestyrelsen – altsÃ¥ medlemslandene – med mindst 3/4 flertal, hvorefter præsidenten har fÃ¥et til opgave at føre dem ud i livet. Ifølge Jesper Kongstad har der f.eks. slet ikke været styr pÃ¥ sygemeldinger. €»Før kunne medarbejderne melde sig syge, og sÃ¥ skete der ikke noget. Det har været et rent tag-selv-bord,€« siger han og føjer til: €»I perioder anede vi simpelthen ikke, hvor folk var. SÃ¥dan kan det jo ikke køre, nÃ¥r der samtidig er pres pÃ¥ den offentlige sektor i hele Europa efter finanskrisen.€« Til Suepos store fortrydelse blev Battistellis ansættelse sidste Ã¥r forlænget til 2018, hvilket tilspidsede konflikten yderligere. Indtil videre har den dog ikke fÃ¥et betydning for kunderne, siger Jesper Kongstad. €»Indtil videre har vi kun set det modsatte. En stor del af medarbejderne bakker op om organisationen og dens ledelse, og produktiviteten har aldrig været højere.€«

Umuligt at gøre alle tilfredse

Præsident Battistelli siger i et skriftligt svar til Jyllands-Posten, at det er umuligt at gøre alle tilfredse. €»Hvis jeg altid forsøgte at please alle, sÃ¥ kunne jeg aldrig beslutte noget.€« Battistelli forklarer, at han af bestyrelsen har fÃ¥et mandat til at gennemføre reformer. Trods dialog og diskussioner har Suepo ikke villet spille med pÃ¥ den dagsorden, men har i stedet holdt fast i sine €»erhvervede rettigheder €«, siger Battistelli og tilføjer: €»PÃ¥ et tidspunkt er man nødt til at træffe en beslutning og komme videre.€«

Benoît Battistelli, præsident for European Patent Office, er havnet i strid modvind. Foto: Andreas Gebert

De ansatte på European Patent Office har demonstreret mod forholdene i organisationen og bl.a. krævet ytringsfrihed. Privatfoto

FAKTA

Det Europæiske Patentkontor

Mellemstatslig organisation med 38 medlemslande fra Europa, herunder Danmark. Er ikke en del af EU-systemet.

Modtog i 2014 273.110 patentansøgninger. Et europæisk patent gælder i alle medlemslande pÃ¥ en gang.

Hovedkontor i München og en stor afdeling i Haag, Holland, samt mindre kontorer i Berlin, Wien og Bruxelles.

Ledes i det daglige af franske Benoît Battistelli med titel af præsident, mens danske Jesper Kongstad er formand for Administrative Council, der kan sidestilles med en bestyrelse.

Skal stå for implementeringen af den store patentreform med bl.a. patentdomstolen, som danskerne var til folkeafstemning om i maj 2014.

If any of our Danish-speaking readers can provide a decent translation to us, that would be great. In the mean time what we have is an automated translation as follows:

CEO of the European Patent Office, EPO, Benoit Battistelli, has title of "President" and behaves according to critics more and more as such. Photo: Andreas Gebert

Welcome to the battlefield

Charges of absolute power, breach of legal certainty and suppression of unions drifts in the European Patent Office, EPO, responsible for patents throughout Europe.

War rages in the European Patent Office

CONFLICT: Charges of overreach, breach of legal certainty and suppression of unions drifts in the 7,000-strong organization, that handles patents worldwide.

At the Isar River in Munich live an organization how many of the 7,000 employees serving more than 1 million. kr. a year, according to sources pay approximately 6 per cent. in taxes. An organization that is covered by immunity, and whose buildings the local authorities does not have access.

As consider and approve patents for billions whatever currency it rains and which determines whether a company can be reserved for his invention in up to 38 European countries.

Welcome to the European Patent Office.

And welcome to the battlefield.

For the organization, which is central to to ensure that innovation pays, is plagued of considerable controversy with protests from European judges and employees, who publicly declared their distrust CEO.

Add to that the abandonment of an independent audit committee and a demonstration turned against the organization's president, Dane Jesper Kongstad, not to do anything to solve the problems.

EPO has a budget of around 15 billion. kr. and describes itself as the second largest European organization by the EU Commission.

EPO is not part of the EU.

French CEO

The intergovernmental organization controlled by CEO, Frenchman Benoît Battistelli, who has the title of president, which, according to critics increasingly behave as such by centering power around him itself, inter alia, by hiring former French colleagues to more senior positions and by weakening the union of EPO, SUEPO, with new strike rules and other measures.

The conflict in the EPO has so far flown radar in the Danish media. maybe because patents in the 21st century is hyper technical, or because no politicians directly involved in the management of the organization.

The Board consists of officials. thus the Danish chairman, Jesper Kongstad, Executive Vice President of the Patent Office in Copenhagen.

The European Patent Office has just over 40 year history, and currently has 38 Member States. Once you have received a European patent for his invention with the EPO, can rolled out to almost all of Europe and thus ensure the rights of one of the world largest markets.

About a third of the total of 273,000 applications in 2014 came from the European companies, while the rest were from countries like the US, Japan and Korea. There usually come from 1500 to 2000 from Denmark. If a dispute arises concerning a patent you can appeal to an appeal committee, and here happened before Christmas something which has so far created furore in the patent sector.

Battistelli chosen for repatriating one Judge of such a committee and banned him then access to the Isar building.

Furor was because Battistelli according to critics does not have the power to repatriate a judge, the judge must be independent and assess complaints about Battistelli's office's decisions.

Battistelli pointed out that his decree only was temporary, though this has not been criticism silenced. What exactly he has done is not been registered officially, but in several of the blogs and niche media which is patent profession, it is estimated that there was a person's questionnaire that he had committed "libel" by criticizing one of Battistellis allies, the Croatian Željko Topic, who has the title of vice president and not arouse undivided enthusiasm in his homeland.

Among other things, has Juris Protecta, a Croatian association of justice, written for EPO that Topic career start in the 1990s was based on connections to the regime.

Audit Committee seeks

Battistelli's presidential tendencies seen according to critics also know that in 2011, claims that an audit committee after it only had worked for a year.

The committee did include declaring himself "surprised 'That the internal auditors are not should keep an eye on a large new build ongoing, but only when it was finished. It also pointed out the need for a whistleblower system.

One of the members, Paul Ernst, said afterwards, the absence of inter alia anti-fraud rules EPO constituted a 'significant risk'. After the Audit Committee had been scrapped, removed Battistelli also the Head of Internal Audit, which according SUEPO had not been possible without the committee's approval - If it is existed.

After the board abandonment is still an audit committee consisting of external auditors, which in its report from 2013, inter alia, told Travel rules until then had prevented that used low-cost airlines. At the same time told you about several hundred tax cases where national tax administrations including have attacked EPO's practice of giving include retirees a tax credit when their working life ends, and they are going to pay tax again.

EPO believes that the allowance itself must be tax-free.

Conflict with employees

And then there is less conflict with employees both in the head office in Munich as the Grand Chamber in The Hague and a pair smÃ¥afdelinger. This is done by union SUEPO. the has officially declared distrust Battistelli, and up to last year's referendum on the Patent Court writing it directly to the Danish trade minister, Henrik Sass Larsen (S) to explain that Battistellis methods led to 'the worst conflict' the EPO's history. "As CEO of the EPO Benoît Battistelli (FR) introduced a dubious leadership, which can be characterized as authoritative and without respect for rights ensure readiness, fundamental rights democratic countries like Denmark, "stood in the letter, which continued:

"All this happened before the eyes of the Danish delegation and Jesper Kongstad Presidency which has always supported Mr. Battistelli, " it was stated in the letter that Sass Larsen never answered.

He do not want to comment to the Jyllands-Posten.

Just Jesper Kongstad support was last week reason why a demonstration SUEPO ended in front of the Danish consulate in Munich.

SUEPO criticisms are many. Among other things, is who Investigation Unit, the EPO's internal investigation group, which one has "a duty to cooperation with 'and where you can not have a lawyer if you have interviewed.

Moreover, critics believe that, even not have the right not to respond, which can lead to incriminate itself. EPO explains that the method of the special group must provide an easy workflow, and writes in a reply that the employees' are not obliged to incriminate himself. "In management eyes they just need to "act in good faith and with the highest level of integrity. "

Employees also feel their privacy trampled when the sick are obliged to stay on their home address at certain times, because EPO potentially To send a doctor over to check whether they actually are sick, or if it is clean truancy. Moreover, Battistelli introduced new strike rules which means that employees must ask the management to organize polls strikes, as introduced restrictions on how long the strikes must continue, and how many should vote Yes.

The salary they nevertheless have not protested over, but the Conditions of EPO is also lucrative.

The case workers, consisting primarily of highly specialized scientists and engineers, and to be able to master English, French and German, serving from EUR 5,000 to about 15,000 euros per month in salary - between approximately 37,000 and 111,000 kr.

They only need to pay an internal tax of 6 per cent. according to sources, and they can retire at a reduced rate, as 50-year or 60- year at the full rate, which is 70 percent of their salary for life. And settle themselves in a country where they will be taxed on the benefits paid, they are to a certain extent offset of EPO.

No one will say something

No staff will speak with name to Jyllands-Posten, because they also are employees in EPO. They fear being punished, says the.

It has not been possible to get a Comment from SUEPO, but the union has released a wealth of letters from the denies that the conflict is about ordinary employment, but rather infringement of fundamental rights.

According to Assistant Professor Christian Lyhne Ibsen, who is labor researcher at Copenhagen University, there is nothing to prevent the strike restrictions in the general labor, and they have several locations proved effective for employers.

"You have seen in both the UK and USA, to procedures that make it difficult to strike has been remarkably effective in that they takes the breath away from the employees, "he says. Professor and labor expert Bent

Greve, Roskilde University, denotes overall seen the situation in the EPO as' very abnormally "and points include on the right to strike, medical checks at home and freedom of expression. Employees must according EPO like to go with, for example. a demonstration where with banners expressing its position. to In return, employees may not have 'comprehensive interaction with the media '.

Employees must exercise "the highest level of integrity "and" is not expected to harm the organization image or interests. '

Bent Greve explains that employees - so long as they do not speak on the company behalf - usually like allowed to speak about working conditions. "This is far beyond the normal, "he said. According to the Danish chairman Jesper Kongstad they have many reforms of EPO been necessary because the union through years had been so powerful that it almost was the real leadership.

He also emphasizes that all changes of employees' working conditions are decided by the Board - ie the member - With at least 3/4 majority, after which the president has been tasked to lead them out.

According to Jesper Kongstad has for example. delete not been mastered on sick leave.

"Before, employees calling in sick, and then nothing happened. It has been a purely self-service table, "he says and adds:

"In times did we simply do not know where the people were. How it would not run, as there is simultaneous pressure on the public sector across Europe after the financial crisis. "

For SUEPO's great regret was Battistelli's employment last year extended to 2018, which further tapered conflict.

So far it has not had an impact for customers, says Jesper Kongstad.

"So far we have only seen the opposite. Much of employees support the organization and its management, and productivity has never been higher. "

Impossible to please everyone

President Battistelli said in a written response Jyllands-Posten that it is impossible to do everyone happy.

"If I always tried to please everyone, so I could never decide anything."

Battistelli explains that he of the Board have been mandated to implement reforms. Despite dialogue and discussions have not SUEPO wanted to play with on the agenda, but has instead stuck to its' acquired rights," said Battistelli, adding: "At some point you have to take a decision and move on. "

Benoît Battistelli, President of European Patent Office, has ended in headwinds. Photo: Andreas Gebert

The staff at the European Patent Office has demonstrated against the situation in the organization and include demanded freedom of expression. private Photo

Facts

The European Patent Office

Intergovernmental organization with 38 member countries from Europe, including Denmark. Is not part of the EU system.

Received in 2014 273.110 patent applications. a European patent valid in all member states on once.

Headquartered in Munich and a large department in The Hague, The Netherlands, as well as smaller offices in Berlin, Brussels and Vienna.

Headed in the daily of the French Benoît Battistelli with the title of president, while Danish Jesper Kongstad is chairman of the Administrative Council, which can be equated with a board.

Will be responsible for the implementation of the major patent reform including CPC, as Danes were put to a referendum in May 2014.

The automated translation above is far from perfect, but it's comprehensible. Having read the above carefully, it can be summarised as follows: The staff of the EPO bemoans the management's behaviour, especially for breaking rules, not just ethical violations. The management has been ousting oversight against the rules, trampling employees' rights (against the European rules), and throwing out a judge (against the rules) for merely criticising a thug whose appointment appears to have had more to do with nepotism and cheating than qualifications. The EPO's management sticks to its usual response and makes up a bogeyman or a straw man. Rather than respond to the allegations made (potentially refuting any) it embraces harmonies of sound bites and marketing. We have not yet seen the EPO's management effectively refuting the claims made by the staff. That alone says a lot. ⬆