The current media strategy is to pretend nothing is amiss and work on media presence by sending journalists various new (carefully prepared in-house) puff pieces

Summary: The PR strategy of the EPO, whose destructive patent strategy continues unabated (for now), latches onto Colombia and strives to manufacture mythology wherein the public, patent examiners and patent applicants are all very happy with the EPO

THE situation in Europe is rather grim when it comes to patents. The EPO has not yet had any executive subjected to legal procedures, even though violations on European soil were well recorded (documented in the media, too). Moreover, the EPO is still promoting software patents this week. That's what virtually all patent trolls are relying on.

Based on this new article: "Some of Europe’s biggest producers of intellectual property are teaming up to battle for rules that’ll help them cash in better on innovation. Telecommunications network builder Ericsson AB, plane maker Airbus Group SE, French phone company Orange SA and train maker Alstom SA are among companies behind IP Europe, a consortium due to be unveiled today in Brussels."

Ericsson is actually behind some big patent trolls. We already gave some examples of Europe attracting patent trolls and Ericsson has a lot to do with it, Nokia too. "Ericsson to promote patent trolling at the European level, hardcore pro-swpat," (software patents) the FFII's President wrote yesterday (citing the article above).

Over at IP Kat, where many EPO workers comment anonymously, one person wrote:

I am really struggling to understand something, and so I turn to the good readers of IPKat for help.

When reporting "production" figures for 2014, Monsieur le President was quoted as saying "Our production, our productivity and our cost controls have all improved". I also understand that the accounts of the EPO have shown a healthy surplus for the past few years.

Thus, based upon its own publications, we can conclude that the EPO has achieved both a healthy "profit margin" and a reduction in underlying costs (of production). Right?

So why (as always) are fees increasing this year? That is, how come the users of the system (who, after all, fund the whole shooting match) do not benefit from the apparently improved productivity?

Answers on a postcard, please.

The EPO is operating as though it's a business, not a service, maximising profit and making it harder for European SMEs to get patents (prices go up). The Banana Republicans of EPOnia now visit South America and then publish total hogwash about it. Battistelli, who is probably as beneficial to the region as Pinochet was (see this recent article in English and in Spanish), said yesterday: "In addition, we were able to sign a Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) agreement in Bogota between the EPO and Colombia’s Superintendent of Industry and Commerce, a measure made possible since we furthered ties through a framework cooperation agreement in 2014. The conclusion of the PPH pilot programme will prove essential for promoting access to accelerated patent prosecution. It is anticipated that this, in turn, will foster business growth between our two regions and boost co-operation between our Offices, bringing additional benefits to European patent holders outside of Europe. It is also envisaged that such agreements will greatly support the timely acquisition of patent rights with our users, such as the university researchers and innovators from industry and business I had met just the day before signing the agreement. It was also clear from the intense media interest that these were measures of interest to a wide variety of actors in innovation, business and industry."

Has anyone noticed that Monsieur le President now spends more time in countries such as China and Colombia rather than Western countries? Some months ago we were told that he had cancelled his trip to Zagreb, where his bulldog Topić reportedly face many criminal charges (more on that tomorrow).

Keeping up the pretense of quality and compliance, the EPO has also just published details about this effort to create an illusion of support from stakeholders, piggybacking ISO [1, 2] despite its rigging (credentials and accreditation for sale). As we wrote here earlier today, there are other such propaganda efforts underway (in Rijswijk). Prepare for the EPO storming the European press with blatant lies and spin. ⬆