Summary: Distress among DG1 examiners at the EPO is reported; after the notorious "suicide wave" under Benoît Battistelli it seems like António Campinos and his corrupt regime (he surrounded himself by unqualified friends of his, who barely understand patents but are eager to burn constitutions, laws, conventions etc. for a living) endanger the lives of examiners

THE push by the EPO for an illegal UPC (promoted by Mafia-esque elements, eager to blackmail their critics and exposers) was noted here many times before -- in effect a kangaroo court that would authorise illegal EPO policies and even European software patents -- a controversial practice of granting being the subject of recent leaks.

"If the EU (or EC) fails to stop this, it too will suffer profoundly."Nothing substantial has improved at the EPO and immaterial "progress" isn't being made; they're just flinging lots of crappy patents at the wall and hope some will stick (maybe with help from the impending -- but illegally-promoted -- kangaroo court).

The Central Staff Committee now warns that "Search & Examination Practice[s]" lead to "Distress among DG1 examiners".

"In this [already-sent] open letter," they've told colleagues, they said to "Steve Rowan [that] we note a worrying trend of distress among DG1 examiners currently confronted with radical changes in search and examination practice in their technical fields due to directives from their superiors, in several directorates. The work of these examiners has been supported and even praised by the Office for many years and their decisions have been generally upheld by the Boards of Appeals. They do not understand the sudden devaluation of their work nor the managerial interference. This results in a feeling of arbitrariness and a lack of self-esteem, which puts a growing number of them in a situation of psychological distress."

Here is the full letter from these staff representatives.

European Patent Office 80298 Munich Germany

Central Staff Committee Comité central du personnel Zentraler Personalausschuss

centralSTCOM@epo.org

Reference: sc23043cl

Date:20/04/2023

European Patent Office | 80298 MUNICH | GERMANY Mr Steve Rowan Vice-president Patent Granting Process

By email

OPEN LETTER

Distress among DG1 examiners

Dear Mr Rowan,

We note a worrying trend of distress among DG1 examiners currently confronted with radical changes in search and examination practice in their technical fields due to directives from their superiors, in several directorates. The managerial approach to enforce these changes entails the following: − examiners are suddenly reproached by their superiors that they have not followed the European Patent Convention, − examining divisions which did not provide the outcome hoped for are reshuffled, − those who do not comply with the instructions from their superiors are threatened of not being considered for steps and/or promotions.

This is very badly experienced by those concerned. The work of these examiners has been supported and even praised by the Office for many years and their decisions have been generally upheld by the Boards of Appeals. They do not understand the sudden devaluation of their work nor the managerial interference. This results in a feeling of arbitrariness and a lack of self-esteem, which puts a growing number of them in a situation of psychological distress.

We urge the Office to fulfil its duty of care and organise a meeting with us to discuss how to put an end to this dramatic situation.

Sincerely yours

Alain Dumont

Chairman of the Central Staff Committee

Where's the media and where are the stakeholders? Why does "the media" (captured by bribes from Team UPC) parrot lies for Mr. Rowan and then shelter those lies behind paywalls so that only patent maximalists can see and rebut those? It's time for accountability already. The EPO is a rogue institution and it is currently attacking the entire court system across the whole EU. If the EU (or EC) fails to stop this, it too will suffer profoundly. ⬆