The European Patent Office (EPO) popularised some lies and even paid the media (publishers) to promote these lies; nowadays academia participates in it (for EPO cash).

"EPO objective for 2023 is to spread its harmful practice to grant software patents to other countries, through the IP5 (USPTO, EPO, JPO, KIPO, CIPO)" --Benjamin Henrion, as cited here

Summary: The nefarious agenda of the litigation lobby (lowering patent quality to make lawsuits abundant) is spreading across the world partly thanks to the work of Team Battistelli (now Team Campinos, who takes it up another notch); it's as if patent offices aren't about examination and assessment anymore because the work becomes more clerical and judgment cursory at best

THE toxic culture bred and spread by the tenants of the EPO's higher floors (the Management Team, enabled by cruel sociopaths at the Administrative Council) will damage the world even after departures. Earlier this week we added wiki pages for Raimund Lutz and Željko Topić, whom we are still watching (arrest is still a possibility). There are several connections to WIPO's scandals as well (some of these people have multiple hats). Benoît Battistelli tried to become WIPO's chief and he is reportedly still hoping to become the UPC's chief (António Campinos already makes Battistelli a judge). Qualifications aren't necessary, only a taste (and waste) for expensive wines and other recreational drugs.

"Qualifications aren't necessary, only a taste (and waste) for expensive wines and other recreational drugs."These people ignore the EPC and have devised some buzzwords and weasel words that they spread to the USPTO to dodge 35 U.S.C. ۤ 101/Alice (SCOTUS). Months ago the UN/WIPO jumped on the "AI" bandwagon/hype wave (because many patents on algorithms are now being rebranded "HEYYYY HIIIII!"). New names and buzzwords for old and invalid software patents in Europe? You bet! And it's not limited to the EPO anymore; Battistelli's former employer does the same thing. As this tweet has just put it: "The French @INPIFrance and Spanish @OEPM_es delegations have presented a revised proposal for studies and activities on AI and #Patents that will be discussed during next session of SCP at @WIPO #scp30"

This cites Revised Proposal of Document SCP/28/7 by the Delegations of France and Spain. Benjamin Henrion took a look and quoted from it : France and Spain pushing for AI swpats [software patents] "patentability of inventions such as AI software as computer-implemented inventions, the use of AI as an aid to the creation of inventions or inventions generated independently by AI"..."

As we noted here quite recently, the EPO's promotion of software patents is now a global threat. The buzzwords and the policies are being pushed elsewhere in Europe and even outside Europe.

We've very much aware that EPO examiners aren't happy about it (some tell us so). SUEPO recently spoke about the collapse in patent quality. Examiners just cannot do their job anymore.

SUEPO has some other very legitimate concerns and yesterday it took note of a letter USF had published early in the week. We're happy to report that Ben Wodecki became more like Dixon, his colleague, for a change. Instead of copying the EPO's PR he now cites the USF's letter and is in turn being cited by SUEPO (hours ago). To quote:

According to the USF, EPO staff “have been unfairly sanctioned and/or dismissed in the last five years”.

It said that EPO president António Campinos has failed to make improvements to move the office on from his controversial predecessor, Benoît Battistelli.

Union Syndicale Fédérale said that the social situation “has not substantially improved”.

It warned that the “anti-staff” policies from the previous administration are still in place and staff remain in a “painful situation”.

The resolution urges Campinos and the EPO to “take into account the demands of SUEPO”, as well as remedy the situation of dismissed staff members and “act swiftly … to reestablish social peace at the EPO”.

Today's EPO is a threat to human rights, labour rights (took sacrifice to earn), patent quality, justice in Europe and the reputation of the EU. If this cannot be corrected somehow, then the EPO becomes an existential threat to the EU itself (EPO scandals already implicate EUIPO, an actual EU agency). UPC, the subject of our next post and an EU project, is just the edge of a large iceberg. ⬆