They are afraid of divestment -- an emergent reality which they themselves have led to with their reckless actions

Reference: Wikipedia

Summary: Growing pressure on the EPO's management to acknowledge that quality control has gone totally out of control as stakeholders already grasp the obvious and act accordingly, turning to other patent offices, such as their national ones (NPOs)

THE number of patent applications from the US nosedived at the EPO. It fell by nearly 6% in just a single year (based on EPO data, which is itself dubious), whereas the same cannot be said about the USPTO.

What does that mean? Maybe that means that Americans are sufficiently well informed. As we explained in our previous post, EPs are overpriced and have become easier to challenge in a court of law. Sloppy examination process isn't the fault of examiners but the fault of their managers, who agree (on behalf of top-level management, notably Team Battistelli) to run the Office like an assembly line with unrealistic quotas. Examiners who don't play alone with this spiel will simply lose their job and likely remain unemployed for a long, long time (there are severe sanctions imposed on future employment of former EPO staff).

"Sloppy examination process isn't the fault of examiners but the fault of their managers, who agree (on behalf of top-level management, notably Team Battistelli) to run the Office like an assembly line with unrealistic quotas."For those who missed the leak which Team Battistelli attempted to distract from, see it now: "Leaked E-mails From the EPO’s Roberto Vacca Reveal That Patent Quality at the European Patent Office Has Become Farcical" (based on hard evidence).

Many insiders have probably heard of if not actually seen this by now. This is seriously toxic stuff!

Yesterday the EPO wrote: "Knowing how examiners organise their work can help you understand the processing time of applications."

We agree.

Notice the wording (or words) used by the EPO nowadays: "production", "demand", "processing"...

"Processing" as in taking files off the shelf and pretending to do examination because Battistelli wants "production" (or else!)?

“Knowing how examiners organise their work can help you understand the processing time of applications.”
      --EPOExaminers keep telling us they are unable to actually do their job. This isn't what they joined the Office to actually do. Battistelli has accomplished nothing; he converted a bunch of highly sophisticated individuals (experts in their respective fields) into a horde of obedient "processors". They don't like it, stakeholders don't like it, and the public should certainly not like it (much of it is still in the dark about this).

Several months ago we showed that both patent quality and quality of service (not the same thing) nosedived based on stories we had covered here. Complaints about this reached even European politicians! Quality of service and also patent quality are a problem. 0% approval rating for Battistelli says quite a lot. Nowadays, even the examiners themselves are signaling so outwards (maybe hoping that stakeholders will pressure further for the sacking of Battistelli).

"Heard just yesterday from an insider," one person told us recently, "those guys are not loud enough, not enough guts."

We mentioned this in our previous post. Battistelli's reign of terror keeps many of them reluctantly quiet. This atmosphere of great fear at many levels (as they know he is immune from prosecution) serves to protect him. He's another Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan, bar the mustache.

“Heard just yesterday from an insider, those guys are not loud enough, not enough guts.”
      --AnonymousSome examiners (not all), from what we have been able to gather, want to tell stakeholders that they need to divest -- as few already do -- because only then the EPO's chinchillas (Administrative Council) might get the message and fire Battistelli (even if Battistelli lies to them constantly and pays them money).

Battistelli, who continues to use IAM as his propaganda mill (as he has done for a while), likes to pretend nothing is amiss when it comes to quality. Maybe he even trained himself to believe his own lies. Maybe.

On the subject of patent quality, since the 2016 'results' were announced, we have written MANY articles, including:

• EPO Record Low on Quality of European Patents (EPs) in 2016
• The European Patent Office is Wasting Its Already Limited Budget on Misleading Press Releases/Paid-for Coverage That Overlook Sharp Decline in Patent Quality
• 'Evil Tongues' Inside and Outside the EPO Explain Why Battistelli's 2016 'Results' Are Bad While the Media Mindlessly Repeats EPO Management's Talking Points
• Latest EPO 'Results' Should be Grounds for Immediate Dismissal of Battistelli Rather Than Celebrations

Knowing that the truth would discourage further applications (at these high prices), maybe even renewals that have been a cash cow, the EPO's management leaps into action and according to this comment from yesterday, the EPO's management is attacking its own staff again, for merely stating facts:

New Communiqué from the two old farts VP1 and VP2 : the manipulation is so cheap and below the belt! this shows that when addressing the Admin Council in their statement where they worry about the fact that the figures are due to unhealthy production pressure which can only impact on the quality of the work done (thus caring for the future of the EPO), the Staff Reps have hit the nerve!

And this auch noch signed by VP1 (an ex-examiner who did all he could not to do patents) and from VP2 (a man whose level mirrors that of Manuel in Fawlty Towers...)

I am proud to be represented by you guys! Hut ab!

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Dear colleagues,

We have the duty to inform you that yesterday when the Administrative Council was discussing the progress report of the Unitary Patent Protection, the staff representatives took this opportunity to attack publicly again, in front of all Member States' delegates and the user representatives, the quality of the products delivered by EPO staff, without any evidence but unfounded allegations.

Although all objective indicators, supported by regular internal and external audits and user surveys, have demonstrated that EPO quality has increased over the last years, these attacks are repeated publicly. It shows a total lack of respect for the colleagues who have shown by their efforts and professionalism the capacity of the Office to improve the quality of the products and services of the Office.

The staff representation has the right to criticize any aspect of the management of the Office if they so wish. The staff has the right to know what its representatives say about its work.

Got that? Truth is treason at the EPO! So much for an institution based on rule of law, science, and integrity. It looks more and more like a mosque. To deviate from the king's rosy view is "apostasy", punishable by suicide.

“New Communiqué from the two old farts VP1 and VP2 : the manipulation is so cheap and below the belt! this shows that when addressing the Admin Council in their statement where they worry about the fact that the figures are due to unhealthy production pressure which can only impact on the quality of the work done (thus caring for the future of the EPO), the Staff Reps have hit the nerve!”
      --AnonymousQuality of patents at the EPO has definitely declined. That's patently true, so it's not a badge of honour -- as Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona believes it to be -- to just throw lots of money at EPs. It's a total waste of money. "The UAB continues to lead Spain in patent applications," it wrote, but isn't that just misuse of public money? It's worse than waste of money because some of these patents, as we have witnessed in the US, are funded by the public to later be sold to patent trolls, which in turn attack and tax the public. It's like the public paying tax to fund the very weapons that will later be used against that same public.

The above tweet from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona was retweeted by the EPO, which later added: "The EPO received 2.8% fewer applications from Denmark in 2016" (link to epo.org omitted).

"You forgot to show the map from which you REMOVED Denmark," I told them, alluding to the following series of articles about the insulting map and misleading claims from the EPO:

• Incredibly Unscientific: EPO is Making up Excuses for Decline in Patent Applications
• Unscientific and Offensive: EPO Deletes From the Map Countries Where Number of Applications at the EPO Has Declined!
• Whenever Battistelli's EPO Says Something These Days, Safest to Just Assume It's a Lie (Because It Typically Is)
• yesterday's article about it

The EPO copied DKPTO on that tweet. Staff of the DKPTO ought to know what their boss is doing behind closed doors. It's truly despicable. There are probably some countries where he would be arrested for such actions, for charges including -- but not limited to -- animal cruelty.

Thankfully, people who read our articles have begun actively challenging the lies from the EPO. One account that follows me asked them: "How did you search all the criteria (mentioned above) in the databases? Is there an automated and computated process?"

"Thankfully, people who read our articles have begun actively challenging the lies from the EPO."The EPO did not even respond this time around. It wants to just take the discussion out of public sight. It said, "we appreciate your interest & would gladly provide you further details on the methodology. Pls email us at press@epo.org"

Like "press" people are likely to understand the underlying science. They're skilled at misleading and lying more than anything else. That's in their job description almost, and they are now assisted by fracking lobbyists (outside help). Guess who foots the bills for these lies...

"If the EPO wanted to repair its reputation, it would have to delete many of these videos, including the one from Battistelli, in which he insults his staff, the staff representatives, the intelligence of all Europeans, the Boards of Appeal, and the laws of Europe (UPC is completely unconstitutional in a lot of countries)."We have said it before and it's worth repeating: every single day the EPO spreads a lie or two (if not more). It's more than embarrassing; it's totally outrageous. It is damaging to Europe and it paints patents in a very negative light. See this new tweet which says : "Test your knowledge: Which tech field saw the most inventive activity in 2016? This might give you a hint: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quXqa3zr5MI …"

This video is damage control and misdirection, as explained in yesterday's article about it. If the EPO wanted to repair its reputation, it would have to delete many of these videos, including the one from Battistelli, in which he insults his staff, the staff representatives, the intelligence of all Europeans, the Boards of Appeal, and the laws of Europe (UPC is completely unconstitutional in a lot of countries). ⬆