Voicing Concerns About European Patent Office (EPO) in Rijswijk
The EPO's Local Staff Committee The Hague has a new report "on meeting with VP1 and his team on 3 November 2025" - a report in which it covers Amicale clubs and various staff benefits. The report is dated yesterday and we've decided to reproduce it as GemText, HTML, and plain text (bulletin) below.
Staff Committee The Hague
Comité du personnel de La Haye
Personalausschuss Den Haag
Rijswijk, 7 November 2025
sc25014hpLSCTH meets Site Manager VP1
Dear colleagues,
On 3 November 2025, the Local Staff Committee The Hague met with VP1, in his capacity as Site Manager for The Hague, along with members of the administration.
The meeting focused on the following seven issues:
1. Building projects
2. Amicale reform in The Hague
3. Healthcare services in The Hague
4. European School The Hague
5. Education and Childcare Allowance Reform
6. Feedback from the work floor
7. Job openings for Formalities Officers
1. Building projects
The LSCTH asked for further clarification on the timeline and the impact of the upcoming demolition of the Shell building and the renovation of the Hinge1. While information has been made available on the intranet, staff remain uncertain about the implications for everyday life, particularly concerning the canteen, sports and social facilities, and the temporary relocation of clubs.
The administration explained that the Building Investment Programme2 provides a detailed month-by-month overview of ongoing and upcoming works. Once the timeline and contractors are confirmed, staff will be informed well in advance about temporary arrangements, including eating areas and mitigation measures against disturbances such as noise and dust. Dedicated communications will be published on the intranet as projects progress.
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1 see also point 2 of the notes on our meeting of 29.11.2024
2 see SP20208 pipeline, 29 October 2025
Regarding the future of the Shell building, the administration confirmed that the building will be fully demolished by the end of 2027 and that the area will be converted into an “open green space”. Any further development, such as the proposal for new sports courts, will be subject to future discussions with the Administrative Council and member states.
2. Amicale reform in The Hague
The LSCTH acknowledged progress in the ongoing reform of the Amicale, noting improvements in the proposed legal framework following feedback from the Amicale and clubs, and exchanges with the staff representatives during technical meetings. Staff representatives highlighted that the proportion of expatriates in The Hague is higher than at other sites, which makes the Amicale’s social and cultural role particularly important.
The LSCTH expressed concern that the manner in which the new governance framework was introduced was suboptimal and created uncertainty among volunteers managing the clubs, leading some to consider closure. They requested that lessons be learned from the process and that sufficient time budget be granted to the Amicale committee members. They also asked whether the EPO could consider renting temporary sports facilities during the renovation of the Hinge.
The administration replied that the final framework now includes a time budget for the Amicale committee and that the Office remains open to solutions enabling clubs to continue their activities. It was noted that the total area available to smaller clubs will remain similar during the works, though larger indoor facilities (e.g. squash or tennis courts) will not be temporarily replaced. Clubs may explore support from Amicale, including the use of available reserves, to rent external venues.
3. Healthcare services in The Hague
The LSCTH welcomed the positive developments in healthcare services in The Hague. A second occupational health nurse is currently being recruited, which staff representatives viewed as an important step towards strengthening in-house expertise. They also noted with appreciation that the Occupational Health Services (OHS) are preparing staff lectures on health topics.
The LSCTH reiterated the importance of maintaining in-house occupational health expertise and renewed its request for the appointment of an internal occupational
health physician3. At present, the physician function is outsourced under a one- year contract, subject to re-tendering thereafter. Staff representatives expressed concern that this arrangement could lead to a lack of continuity, and underlined that an in-house physician would be better placed to understand the organisational context and to cooperate closely with safety services. They further asked whether the regular coordination meetings that used to take place between Safety and Occupational Health were still ongoing, and recalled that, in previous tenders, a staff representative had been allowed to participate as an observer under conditions of full confidentiality.
The administration reiterated its commitment to a balanced hybrid model, combining external specialists with dedicated internal staff. The new occupational health nurse is expected to join shortly, and an additional formality officer will reinforce the front-office team. While input from staff representation is welcome, confidentiality rules prevent direct participation in the current tender procedure. The administration confirmed that efforts are being made to maintain the same doctors to ensure continuity of service. Collaboration between Health & Safety and Occupational Health remains close and regular.
A staff lecture on navigating the Dutch healthcare system is scheduled for January 2026 as part of the preventive health campaign. The Office aims to address the specific needs of each site and to organise targeted actions for particular groups, following the positive feedback received from recent themed sessions such as those on women’s health and men’s health. The administration concluded that healthcare services in The Hague have been strengthened and will continue to be developed in 2026.
4. European School The Hague
The LSCTH requested an update on the recruitment of a new School Liaison Officer (SLO)4 and sought clarification as to why the recently published vacancy was limited to internal candidates. The committee recalled that the previous recruitment in 2023 had been open to external applicants and emphasised that the position is of strategic importance, given the ongoing challenges faced by the European School The Hague (ESH) and other international schools in the region.
The administration confirmed its full commitment to maintaining an effective and visible SLO function. No appointment has yet been made. The “internal first” approach was applied in line with the Office’s general recruitment policy, allowing internal candidates to express interest before considering external applications if
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3 see also our open letter of 30.06.2025, the answer of PD 4.2, and our letter of 2.10.2025
4 see also point 1 of the notes of our previous meeting of 19 June 2025 and our open letter of 17.03.2025
necessary. The final decision on the setup of the SLO within the Principal Directorate 4.3 structure is still under review.
The administration underlined that, despite the temporary vacancy, school liaison activities continue uninterrupted. The Office hosted in October a well-attended conference for Accredited European Schools5, recognised as a successful event, and maintains regular contact with schools in The Hague through frequent meetings and participation in school events. Staff will be kept informed of further developments in the recruitment and organisational setup of the SLO function.
VP1 and the administration further confirmed that the matter of schooling remains on the agenda at political level. A meeting with the Ambassador for International Organisations in the Netherlands6 is scheduled for next week, during which the situation of the European School will again be raised. The administration reaffirmed its determination to keep ESH properly funded and adequately housed, ensuring that EPO staff’s children continue to have access to the school.
The LSCTH welcomed these assurances but reiterated the importance of maintaining both the operational and political dimensions of the SLO function. The committee stressed that the European School remains a key element of the EPO’s attractiveness in The Hague, particularly in light of Europol’s planned staff expansion, which is expected to increase pressure on school capacity. The LSCTH also reported that, in a recent meeting of the International Organisations’ Staff Association in The Netherlands (IOSA-NL), similar concerns had been voiced about the risks of overloading ESH and the need to ensure that staff may have access to alternative schooling options where necessary.
5. Education and Childcare Allowance Reform
The LSCTH raised three issues connected with the Education and Childcare Allowance Reform (ECAR), namely: recent Appeals Committee (ApC) opinions, the reimbursement of the ouderbijdrage, and matters relating to the German International School of The Hague7.
The LSCTH noted that several recent ApC opinions had been clearly favourable to staff, but were only partially implemented by the Office. This situation risks generating new appeals on cases for which positive opinions have already been issued, thereby creating unnecessary administrative burden and prolonging uncertainty for the staff concerned. The LSCTH therefore suggested that these cases be reviewed in their entirety with a view to resolving them definitively, in the
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5 https://www.aesconference2025.nl/
6 https://www.netherlandsandyou.nl/web/nl-host-nation/w/meet-the-ambassador-van-den-ijssel
7 See also publication dated 22.05.2024 and point 4 of the notes on our previous meeting of 6.06.2025
interest of efficiency and sound administration.
Staff representatives further observed that the ApC’s recommendations were not only financial in nature, but in several instances reflected common-sense reasoning and a clear interpretation of the Service Regulations. It appeared inconsistent that some recommendations were followed while others were not, and the LSCTH requested clarification of the criteria applied.
They also invited the administration to examine the pending questions related to the ouderbijdrage reimbursement and the German International School.
VP1 acknowledged the concerns raised and noted that the administration would provide a written reply addressing each of the issues raised.
6. Feedback from the work floor
The LSCTH raised several concerns reported by staff regarding target setting, training time, and the handling of the staff engagement survey8.
Staff representatives reiterated the need for greater transparency and a genuine bottom-up approach in the yearly target-setting exercise. They reported that production targets had increased sharply in several directorates, in some cases by double-digit percentages, despite teams already performing well. Such unexplained rises generate frustration and pressure among colleagues and team managers alike. The LSCTH warned that, based on early indications, target increases of up to 30 % were being mentioned, which would be unsustainable.
The administration stated that the overall expectations for 2026 follow the parameters defined in the Medium-Term Business Plan (MTBP) and that there is no general instruction to impose such high increases. Variations between individual situations may occur, but these should not result in exceptional cases. Staff were encouraged to raise any disproportionate cases directly with the line management or escalate them to higher levels if needed. VP1 underlined that such situations should not occur and that the process must remain fair and transparent.
Regarding training, the LSCTH stressed that adequate time and budget must be allocated for learning new tools, particularly with the introduction of AI-based workflows. At present, most training takes place on a voluntary basis and / or during lunch breaks, which is neither sustainable nor equitable. The administration confirmed that training activities are planned and resourced, including for 2026, and that the learning requirements for new tools have been taken into account in the planning. The precise time allocation figures were not immediately available.
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8 see also point 2 of the notes on our previous meeting of 6.06.2025, CSC open letter of 08.07.2025, point 3 of the notes on our meeting of 12.06.2024, point 4 of our notes on our meeting of 29.11.2024.
The administration emphasised that training needs should be reflected in each staff member’s Individual Development Plan (IDP) and discussed between managers and staff. While certain training modules remain mandatory, individual needs will be addressed wherever possible.
The LSCTH also raised concerns about the handling of the staff engagement survey9, noting reports that some managers may have attempted to influence how staff completed it. The administration rejected any such practice, recalling that the survey is entirely anonymous and that no feedback is provided at team level where fewer than eight responses are received. It was acknowledged, however, that if all team members answer in the same way on a specific question, anonymity may be perceived as compromised. The administration agreed that the key issue lies in how such feedback is handled, and committed to provide guidance to managers on how to receive and process negative feedback constructively.
Staff representatives suggested that the Staff Representation be again involved in the design and formulation of future surveys, as was the case in the past. They noted that some questions may have lost relevance, given that “New Ways of Working” has become the norm. The administration replied that the survey is prepared with a consultant to ensure replicability between different iterations and comparability with other international organisations. Nonetheless, feedback from staff representation would be considered for future editions.
7. Job openings for Formalities Officers
The LSCTH noted that numerous questions had been raised regarding upcoming changes affecting Formalities Officers, following recent internal reorganizations and evolving workflows. Given the limited time remaining in the meeting, the LSCTH proposed holding a dedicated session with the administration to address these matters in detail.
The administration suggested that the questions be submitted in writing, so that written replies could be provided in due course, followed by a meeting with the LSCTH dedicated to Formalities Officers.
Kind regards,
Your Local Staff Committee The Hague
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9 See also open letter from the CSC of 9.10.2025
In our next article we'll mention other issues associated with the EPO in the Netherlands. █