Posted minutes ago by Petra Kramer in the Netherlands, regarding today's debate at the House of Representatives

• "The Socialist Party and the Party for Animals want to fire Battistelli." [link]



• "They also want to re-evaluate EPO's immunity. Christian Democrats wonder why nothing changes despite a majority of members wanting change." [link]



• "Van Dam claims the Netherlands is one of the most active countries that is trying to protect the rights of EPO-employees." [link]



• "Without the Netherlands there wouldn't have been a social audit of EPO Van Dam says." [link]



• "Van Dam: It is hard to convince Battistelli that he should change his attitude. He hopes the next president will be more constructive." [link]



• "Yet he doesn't want to fire Battistelli because it would intervene with the procedure to elect a new EPO-president." [link]



• "The Socialist Party asks why the employees don't experience the improvements Van Dam boasts of." [link]



• "Van Dam: If parliament wants to debate diplomatic immunity they will have to debate it with the minister of foreign affairs." [link]

Update: Petra Kramer writes, "Here is a translation of the motions that @MaartenHijink and @estherouwehand submitted. Voting is next Tuesday."

The Lower House,

Heard the deliberation,

Observing that under the leadership of the current President of the European Patent Office, the social circumstances in that office have deteriorated severely and that this President has a very bad judgement in various surveys among clients of the bureau;

Observing that the Board of Directors exercises disciplinary supervision on the president of the bureau;

Considers that the European Patent Office should be both a good employer and a good service provider which the EPO cannot comply with the presence of the current President;

Calls on the government to call within the Board of Directors of the EPO for the early departure of the president and the rapid standardization of labour relations with the EPO,

And proceeds to the order of the day.

Hijink (Socialist Party) Ouwehand (Party for the Animals)

The Lower House,

Heard the deliberation,

Whereas unwanted situations occur within the European Patent Office established in the Netherlands, such as the violation employees rights;

Observing that the Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the EPO impedes intervention;

Believes that such immunities are never intended to let human rights violations go unpunished;

Calls on the government to make every effort to end such unwanted situations and to revise such arrangements for the future, for example by opening the debate on the scope and interpretation of such immunity;

And proceeds to the order of the day.

Hijink (Socialist Party) Ouwehand (Party for the Animals)