The last translation that we wish to release tonight is a column from Thomas Magenheim-Hörmann, who writes for a newspaper in Frankfurt. It seems as though a lot of press from Frankfurt is critical of the EPO's management, due to many different reasons, including legal immunity which one truly struggles to grasp. That's just such an outlandish thing! It should be a foreign concept in a civilised Germany, unless we're back to post-Weimar Republic era (at least inside Eponia). As Magenheim-Hörmann puts it, "what has been happening there for at least two years under the aegis of President Benoît Battistelli is a legitimate cause for alarm."
Magenheim-Hörmann states that the patent system is important but is unable to function. "The threshold of pain has now been reached," he writes, "and the gulf between staff and management has never been so wide. Even slow learners must have finally realised that the Office is no longer capable of returning to normality under its own steam. European politicians now have another fire to fight and they need to intervene to extinguish it as a matter of urgency."
This is all based on a reasonably accurate translation, which we provide in full below:
19th November 2015
Immediate action required to stop the fire
by Thomas Magenheim-Hörmann
Intellectual property is a cornerstone of modern economies and the European Patent Office in Munich one of its most important guardians. In this regard, what has been happening there for at least two years under the aegis of President Benoît Battistelli is a legitimate cause for alarm.
Editorial Comment
Intellectual property is a cornerstone of modern economies and the European Patent Office in Munich one of its most important guardians. In this regard, what has been happening there for at least two years under the aegis of President Benoît Battistelli is a legitimate cause for alarm. He is implementing a reform of this institution, the details of which have not been without controversy, but nevertheless something which is the daily business of a manager. The methods employed by the Frenchman are frequently blundering and he proceeds without regard for "collateral damage". Now an entire staff union is to be cropped, something which would be impossible in Germany, all the more so given that the allegations seem to be fabricated.
"Now an entire staff union is to be cropped, something which would be impossible in Germany, all the more so given that the allegations seem to be fabricated."But from a formal legal perspective, the Office is not subject to national laws. It is also not an EU institution. Supranational organisations such as the European Patent Office regulate their industrial relations in largely autonomous manner. The sole supervisory organ for the management is an Administrative Council in which 38 European countries are represented. They seem to be as much at odds with each other as the EU in relation to the refugee question, all the more so given that the Administrative Council includes non-EU states.
The threshold of pain has now been reached and the gulf between staff and management has never been so wide. Even slow learners must have finally realised that the Office is no longer capable of returning to normality under its own steam. European politicians now have another fire to fight and they need to intervene to extinguish it as a matter of urgency.
Thomas Magenheim-Hörmann
Economic Correspondent, Munich
--Andre Gide