Thin-skinned Battistelli has turned the EPO into an autocracy almost nobody wants to serve

Reference: U.S.-Australia Rift Is Possible After Trump Ends Call With Prime Minister (today)

Summary: The toxic relationship between the European Patent Office and those who are subsidising it (with fees to the monopoly) is bound to explode sooner or later, as stakeholders are growing tired of the tyrannical leadership and its negative effect on the quality of service, quality of patents, etc.

Turnbull, the Australian Prime Minister, is in the headlines today. It was being reported by Australian media and the Washington Post that Trump had hung up on Turnbull, having not managed to accept any criticism. Sounds familiar? Well, the EPO's President ragequit his meeting with Martijn van Dam. The Dutch media reported on that at the time.

The autocracy which developed under Battistelli is not entirely unique. As one reader told us, "I have come across the below quote in a comment" on The Register's recent report:

What is it with Patent Organisations around the World and their bloody leaders???

The European Patent Office has Battistelli acting like a complete d%&k and needing to be removed by the EU. With the EU naturally failing to do that.

The World Intellectual Property Organisation has Gurry acting like a complete d%&k and needing to be removed by the UN. With the UN naturally failing to do that.

The US Patent Office is broken (although that cant be blamed on the guy at the top this time), and needs for the US Government to sort it out. With the US Government naturally failing to do that.

I'm seeing a pattern here, and I dont like it very much!

Looking at some new comments in IP Kat, we find similarly strong criticisms of Battistelli:

The complete text of the JUVE PATENT POLL in the german language can be seen here:http://www.juve.de/nachrichten/namenundnachrichten/2017/01/industrie-umfrage-zum-europaeischen-patentamt-mehrheit-fuer-ruecktritt-von-amtschef-battistelli . With the Google translater you can get very good understandable translations in french dutch and english. Some small things like: The ۬Verwaltungsrat۬(AC) is translated as ۬board of directors۬ It is clear that the EPO clients do not like to continue with Battistelli. I am afraid that Battistelli will say, just like President Trump, that these are all lies and JUVE is a dishonest press. Battistelli has much better information and all the examiners love him. Everything is okee in EPONIA and with King Benoit.

Somebody wrote in response that Europeans deserve to "get European Patents which are not taint by Human rights' abuses, don't they?"

As we noted here a couple of years ago, repeatedly in fact, the EPO enjoys a monopoly, so the idea of taking one's business elsewhere is not quite applicable. The EPO has special duties and it fails to fulfill these. Here is the full comment:

"It is clear that the EPO clients do not like to continue with Battistelli

Oh, is it? And maybe now they will finally vote with their feet and go somewhere else where they can get European Patents which are not taint by Human rights' abuses, don't they?

Another person says that "many many other articles and reactions say Benoit Battistelli has to go."

There is no good and economic alternative for the EPO. From the JUVE PATENT POLL is clear what the EPO clients like and not like from the EPO under Benoit Battistelli. They not like less quality and a from Battistelli dependent board of appeal. Not only JUVE but many many other articles and reactions say Benoit Battistelli has to go. The Human rights' abuses and violation of the EPC have to stop now.

"I suspect the real response [of EPO to the aforementioned Juve survey] will be to ignore it," said another person. "Or to shout at a minion to get an investigation about who these traitors are so that they can be taught where they are not understanding right."

The latest article from The Register is then mentioned as follows:

Well, of course the abuses will stop just after the Dutch High Court has given free hand to Mr. Battistelli to continue do as he pleases him by upholding the "immunity" of the Office - and it appears that Mr. Battistelli got the message clear and loud, as reported by The Register:

King Battistelli tries again to break Euro Patent Office union

The stakeholders need to (re)group and do the right thing. They ought to work together and sanction in order to remove Battistelli. EPO staff would be grateful, no doubt about it. Nobody wants Battistelli; neither insiders nor outsiders.

The following latest comment speaks of avoiding the EPO altogether, even for applicants:

Regarding alternatives to European Patent Office,

In case you look from the customer perspective, German patent office is as good as European patent office. There are only very few products, which you can develop economically, in case you are excluded from German market. We have unified market in European Union and if such product cannot be sold in Germany, typically such product is not economically feasible. Think about cars, semiconductors, industrial equipments, trucks,...

What if all the law firms and applicants made it clear to the Organisation that unless or until Battistelli is removed they refuse to pay a dime? That would actually work, but only if all of them agree to do this at the same time (like a strike). ⬆