THERE have been several rumours swirling about António Campinos, but evidence is at times lacking or relatively weak. The European Patent Office (EPO) is corrupt, no doubt, and there's plenty evidence to show it. Demonstrating that Campinos plays an active role in it, however, isn't easy. Days ago we mentioned EPO ‘outsourcing’ rumours; we asked for input and got some input a couple of days later.

"We already saw Battistelli doing this many times in the past. It's a form of corruption."As readers may recall, Battistelli clearly meddled/intervened to have Campinos 'set up' as his successor. Take Belgium for example (we wrote about half a dozen articles about it, since more than a year ago, as this relates the UPC and EUIPO). Inside sources said that its vote was more or less 'bought'.

Based on LinkedIn job postings, sources tell us, other countries may have had their vote 'bought' (rewards given after the vote, not before or throughout). We already saw Battistelli doing this many times in the past. It's a form of corruption. We've been giving examples since 2014.

We're told that the job postings have nothing to do with outsourcing but more to do with national patent offices and Council delegates (as was the case in Belgium). As one source framed it: "Is António Campinos paying for the votes which made him the seventh president of the EPO, or for future support?

"His election was a rigged process (we wrote about it countless times before) and the effect of this rigged election may be more profound and long-lasting than people care to realise."A curious aspect of this is that the job advertisements on the EPO's LinkedIn page aren't always on the EPO's site. Some may have already disappeared (maybe due to public scrutiny). We leave it as an exercise for the reader, e.g. which jobs these are and the possible motivations. One thing we do know is that there are internal conversations about it and Campinos has much to worry about. His election was a rigged process (we wrote about it countless times before) and the effect of this rigged election may be more profound and long-lasting than people care to realise. Certain people are indebted or are owed "favours". There are many ways to pass money around, e.g. jobs, EU budget, and EPO budget (see how Battistelli looted the EPO itself a few weeks before he left). ⬆