Bonum Certa Men Certa

EPO Concerns About the Education and Childcare Allowance Reform (ECAR) and School Liaison Officer (SLO)

posted by Roy Schestowitz on Mar 18, 2025

Isabelle Brandt

THE EPO staff representatives in The Hague (LSCTH) are concerned about the way their families are treated and the way kids of the people who voted for them (colleagues) are treated. There seems to be rapid functional deterioration; the Office is 'cheapening' things and evading obligations made when they took the job (as required by the European Patent Convention, too). So what will be left in the shape and form of benefit to staff?

The subject was previously discussed in posts from last year, e.g.:

There's now communication with deputies (nepotism) of António Campinos. The LSCTH reps tell colleagues:

Support on schooling-related issues should be maintained in The Hague

Dear colleagues,

In this letter to the administration, we express our concern over the imminent vacancy of the School Liaison Officer (SLO) position.

In The Hague, the SLO has been involved in addressing issues stemming from the Education and Childcare Allowance Reform (ECAR) while negotiating with school administrations, international organizations, and Dutch authorities.

The LSCTH urgently calls for the swift recruitment of a successor to ensure continuity and reaffirm the EPO’s commitment to employee well-being.

Here's the letter they're referring to, sent to Microsoft Rowan and the President's buddy from EUIPO (lots of corruption there):

European Patent Office Patentlaan 2 2288 EE Rijswijk NETHERLANDS

Local Staff Committee The Hague

dhstcom@epo.org

Date: 13-03-2025

Ref: sc25004hl

To: Mr Rowan – VP1

Cc: Ms Simon – VP4, Ms. Requena Sempere – PD People

By email only

OPEN LETTER

Urgent need for a new School Liaison Officer in The Hague

Dear Mr Rowan,

We are writing to express our deep concern regarding the upcoming vacancy of the School Liaison Officer (SLO) position, specifically for the duty station in Rijswijk.

The appointment of a School Liaison Officer was meant to fill a long-standing gap in support for staff members facing problems related to schooling, particularly in The Hague area, where the situation differs significantly from that of colleagues based in Germany or Austria. For many colleagues, this role was seen as a compensatory measure that helped mitigate some of the negative consequences brought about by the Education and Childcare Allowance Reform (ECAR). The absence of an active SLO will leave a considerable gap in the support structure available to EPO employees and their families.

Over the past couple of years, we have seen the first real steps toward meaningful engagement with school administrations, other international organizations in The Hague, and Dutch authorities. A notable example of this was a recent note verbale sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) highlighting the issues affecting the European School The Hague (ESH), which triggered high-level discussions with Dutch authorities. These discussions are crucial in ensuring that EPO employees can access the best possible educational options for their children. With the position soon vacant, the connections established since July 2023 are at risk of being lost, and both the Staff Representation and parents will once again find themselves without a reliable point of contact.

Given the already fragile nature of school-related support within the EPO, the future vacancy of the SLO position is of serious concern. We kindly request that you expedite the recruitment process to ensure continued support for EPO staff in The Hague and to reaffirm the EPO’s commitment to the well-being of its employees and their families.


We appreciate your urgent attention to this matter and look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Isabelle Brandt
On behalf of the Local Staff Committee The Hague

This is hardly the first time they raise concerns on these matters. The public deserves to know as it impacts thousands of families.

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