From the latest Patent Information News bulletin of the EPO [PDF] (warning: epo.org link)
THE autocracy at the EPO is only getting worse over time. Nothing is improving, it's only getting worse. Benoît Battistelli has already turned his 'supervisor' into his own henchman -- a fact now widely-recognised within the Office and to a lesser degree among the delegates (Organisation), who ought to overthrow their so-called 'chairman'. Jesper Kongstad has been such an obedient coward that the only thing he can go against is a bunch of defenseless chinchillas. He repeatedly failed, for a number of years in fact, to do anything about Battistelli. Seeing how weak and toothless Kongstad has been, Battistelli merely expands his autocracy, gives more money to his cronies, and takes more direct control of their jobs.
"Does your job involve innovation?"
The EPO discussed/asked this earlier today. Well, the people in charge of the EPO have nothing whatsoever to do with innovation, except in the Mafia sense (innovating methods for tyranny and 'protection', as we noted earlier in the morning). It's truly despicable and it's not hard to see why smart people who work for the EPO are appalled. "You need to know about the most active tech fields in terms of patent applications," the EPO continued, linking to unscientific claims from its misleading video.
"Battistelli," says this new comment (from this morning), "will [soon] manage the branch responsible for examination and search (about 4500 people) directly."
Got that? So much for improving independence. Here is the full comment:
It is sometimes interesting to reread old comments, for example this one:
http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2016/11/firings-will-continue-until-morale.html?showComment=1484057604191#c5032108447654113159
"during the Admin. Council, Battistelli called VP1 in his luxury suite overlooking Munich's city on floor 10 of the Isar building, to tell him that he was very happy with the production figures and that VP1 did an excellent job before to eventually tender him a letter of resignation ready to sign on the spot."
Now, we know that the idea was never to replace the vice-president DG1, but that Battistelli will manage the branch responsible for examination and search (about 4500 people) directly. The new structure with 3 "COO" each working in tandem with a "Principal director" at exactly the same level will insure that these managers will be absolutely powerless.
So now we know that Minnoye was pushed away so that Battistelli can manage the largest part of the Office directly. What for? What does Battistelli plan to do that Minnoye would have opposed?
There will also be a race between the clusters for production numbers (to allocate "bonus" and other "goodies"). Plus a lack of 2nd level AC appointed (and thus disciplined) managers will indeed mean that no-one who wants to keep her/his job can oppose any demand by the president, no matter if questionable or fully reasonable.