The EPO's Local Staff Committee Munich (LSCMN) Explains to the Administrative Council (AC) How Bad Things Have Become at Europe's Second-Largest Institution, Biggest Patent Office, and Corruption/Cocaine Hub (Jobs Sold to Friends)
THE EPO lacks no controversy or scandals. A week ago we showed its "diploma mill"-like practices, which go back to the Benoît Battistelli regime. The EPO facilitates and engages in fraud. António Campinos continues this and cover this up; additionally, in recent months he has been busy covering up cocaine use.
The EPO's Local Staff Committee Munich (LSCMN) has just circulated an update about a meeting that can spell the end - or the beginning of the end - of the "Alicante Mafia" at the EPO.
Quoting LSCMN:
Flash update from the Administrative Council meeting of 18 and 19 March 2026
Most powerful actions remain organised strikes and work-to-rule
Dear Colleagues,
On the topic of the proposed salary adjustment procedure, many of the delegates (around 16 delegations) at the Administrative Council (AC) repeated their opinions that our salaries are too high, with little substance to support it. They also mentioned other benefits, such as teleworking, many allowances, and pension age as being too generous.
Since we were refused permission to share slides on the screens, we improvised and distributed printed handouts on every delegates desk to accompany our intervention. The delegates listened carefully, and we left them with the question of whether the risks outlined of legal uncertainty, social unrest, reduced productivity, lower income for national offices, and weakened recruitment are worth it when the same outcome of lowering average salaries and pensions will be achieved anyway within 10 years as impact of the new career system and new pension scheme will be fully realised, without undermining staff trust or stability.
The staff representation sat yesterday in the Council with our high-visibility yellow jackets to make it clear we were on strike. We can only do so much at the Council with the limitations that are imposed to our contributions there. Therefore, we again emphasise that the most powerful action every one of us can take is to join the organised strikes and to contribute to the work-to-rule action which is having an impressive impact on the drop in number of products and hence the income of the national patent offices of the delegates.
Here are the handout infographics:
We'll say a bit more tomorrow. █