Green as in dollars?

Summary: The elected representatives of staff in Europe's biggest patent office explain why the management's greenwashing stunts are just posturing

THE Local Staff Committee The Hague (LSCTH), or the elected representatives of EPO staff stationed in the Rijswijk area, have sent a letter to António Campinos et al because the Frenchman Campinos -- like his friend, predecessor and compatriot Benoît Battistelli -- resorts to a lot of shallow greenwashing. The EPO's Web site habitually resorts to political pandering, pinkwashing, and greenwashing. Maybe that impresses some gullible politicians (who themselves whitewash their name using such tactics), but scientists who work for the EPO don't fall for the crude propaganda.

"Maybe that impresses some gullible politicians (who themselves whitewash their name using such tactics), but scientists who work for the EPO don't fall for the crude propaganda."Citing a letter that we shared here last year, they explain that the EPO is basically faking environmentalism while snubbing those who are impacted and those who know better than Campinos et al. Campinos is just a foul-mouthed politician with a law degree. He's piggybacking his father's career and his father's reputation; he also piggybacks corrupt Frenchmen like Team Battistelli (or the Portuguese government when this alternative or alter ego of his suits his political ambitions better). Going back in time, we can clearly see how Campinos had rigged elections and essentially bought himself a place at EUIPO, later to be parachuted into the EPO, acting as a successor for his original enablers. Profound corruption at the EPO would, under normal circumstances, attract some attention from the German government. "How much longer before the nations cannot avoid addressing the EPO?" an associate asked today. "It is complicated by Germany's conflict of interest in regards to income. It's often ignored and more often not even recognised."

The letter below focuses on the situation in the Dutch territory; that in its own right is a massive bribery scandal and passive corruption at the highest level, as future leaks will reveal. LSCTH explains to colleagues:

Following the open letter “Consistency in sustainability” from the chair of the Local Staff Committee Munich, the Local Staff Committee the Hague also enquired about the following topics:

- The replacement of the pond in front of the new main building by solar panels;

- The replacement of the meeting rooms in the new main by IT servers;

- The introduction of free e-charging stations and the provision of a comprehensive mobility concept which would incentivize commuting means with reduced emissions.

Here's the full letter:

European Patent Office | 2288EE RIJSWIJK | NETHERLANDS To: Mr António Campinos President of the EPO

Cc: Ms Nellie Simon (VP4), Ms Roberta Romano-Götsch (CSO)

European Patent Office Patentlaan 2 2288 EE Rijswijk NETHERLANDS

Staff Committee The Hague

dhstcom@epo.org

Date: 23-02-2023

Open letter: Consistency in sustainability in the polder

Dear Mr President,

Following the open letter “Consistency in sustainability” from the chair of the Local Staff Committee Munich, we would like to enquire about the following related topics:

- The pond in front of the new Main building is being replaced by solar panels¹: from our understanding of the original design, one of the environmental benefits of the pond² was to provide the possibility of free seasonal natural cooling and heat rejection; specifically, to help cool the building’s IT infrastructure. It also seems that a substantial area covered by solar panels will in fact not regularly be exposed to sunlight. We are wondering:

o Whether the architect was consulted before these changes were decided upon, and if so, what was his reply? o Will there be any environmentally friendly seasonal free cooling/heat rejection for the building’s IT infrastructure after the solar panels are installed? o Have any risk studies looking into the installation of solar panels around the base of the Main building been undertaken? (fire risk, rain water run off, wind damage etc) o Can the above as well as the business case and environmental balance of these infrastructural alterations be disclosed on the EPO intranet and internet as part of the environmental policy?

_____________ ¹ New design features for The Hague site, EPO, 8.12.2022 ² The pond regularly leaked into the entrance and bicycle sheds, and we are wondering why the building company was not requested to fix this issue?

---

- The meeting rooms on the first floor of the New main, built around 2017, include(d) state of the art video conferencing systems, which are essential especially now that the “New Ways of Working” have been adopted. From our understanding at least some of these rooms will be replaced by IT servers. Here as well, we kindly request that staff be informed of:

o What alternatives (i.e. meeting rooms for 30+ participants including state of the art video conferencing systems) will be available after the renovations have taken place? o Why is the existing IT server room not suitable? o What are the business case and environmental balance of these infrastructural alterations? o Can the above be disclosed on the EPO intranet and internet as part of the environmental policy?

- As per the passage in letter by the Munich Staff committee chair relating to the introduction of extra free car e-charging stations:

o Again, what are the business case and environmental balance of this development, and can they be disclosed on the EPO intranet and internet as part of the environmental policy? o According to the Environmental report 2021 (p.27), the EPO “will implement a comprehensive mobility concept to reduce emissions from [...] commuting”. Staff representation kindly requests to be involved in the development of such an all-round mobility plan which would incentivize walking, cycling and use of public transport with much lesser emissions³

Kind regards, Jorge Raposo

Chairman Local Staff Committee The Hague On behalf of the Committee

_____________ ³ See p.40/59 of latest Environmental Report

Thankfully some of the media, despite being in the pockets of patent extremists (including Team UPC), has been devoting some space to EPO controversies. Not enough, but it's a start. ⬆