António Campinos (centre) and Christian Archambeau (left)

Summary: EPO corruption and extremely serious abuse, as told frankly and reported by informed sources; some of that is the subject of ongoing investigations

THE EPO's official Web site has said nothing for a couple of weeks, but insiders with a clue (and access) know a whole bunch of stories, including dark secrets. Benoît Battistelli and António Campinos seem rather mortified about truth coming out, so they've constantly made a lot of noise about certain things in certain topics (drowning out the signal). We've seen that in relation to privacy, in relation to Belarus, and a whole bunch of other stuff. There are many skeletons in that closet. Bribery keeps the closet shut for longer.

Last month we published a 12-part series about European software patents. Prior to it we heard about a highly controversial presentation, not mere E-mails (or storytelling), about a notorious plan to break the law. Those two things are partly connected. We've therefore been trying to get a copy. If anyone reading this has a copy, please consider leaking it to us. We've already shared some E-mail leaks on this topic (last month), but the presentation too would definitely belong in the public domain.

"Finally, the chief of the EUIPO (who came from the EPO; opposite direction to what Campinos did) is connected to serious corruption, but we're still pursuing the pertinent details and will report as soon as we have them."We're meanwhile investigating another plausible allegation. It indicates severe political corruption. The "EPO under [Christian] Archambeau apparently 'negotiated' with the NL [Dutch] government some exchange between the construction of a new building (in Rijswijk) and privileges for Dutchies," a source told us, "because Munich and The Hague have different fiscal régimes. They used this difference to blackmail the Dutch government."

If anyone knows more about this, please get in touch discreetly.

"This is plain corruption," our source added. "We will have to check the dates of the events, but I guess they match."

"This is the reason why FFPO was created, I believe. I was told [this] orally."

That's very interesting. It also implicates the EU agency, EUIPO, through Archambeau, the former deputy of Campinos at Alicante. If insiders can send us more information and maybe documents, then perhaps we can compose a detailed series on the subject.

Corruption at the EPO has been the "new normal" for at least a decade. But that does not mean there's no point exposing yet more of it. Today's EPO works against its original goals.

So to summarise, the EPO is scheming to break the law (i.e. the usual!) in order to fake so-called 'production'. Last month we covered the plan our sources might be alluding to. Same one ("master plan") or overlapping plans? Either way, we want the presentation to be leaked to us so that we can publish it. The public needs to know what's going on. Policy should not be secret. Concurrently we're investigating a number of UPC abuses and misconduct. The UPC discredits the EU because it demonstrates the EU knowingly breaking treaties, constitutions etc. All this for the sake of litigation (lawyers') profits... and we know at whose expense. Patent trolls and foreign (not European) monopolies seem to be a priority for the EU and the EPO. That's totally unacceptable and we need to hold accountable those who are doing this.

Finally, the chief of the EUIPO (who came from the EPO; opposite direction to what Campinos did) is connected to serious corruption, but we're still pursuing the pertinent details and will report as soon as we have them. We'd rather not say more, at least not for the time being, as that introduces risk of saying something speculative or inaccurate. We must separate opinions from facts. ⬆

Team UPC (right) and Christian Archambeau (left)