Bonum Certa Men Certa

The EPO is Run by Dictators, Elected Staff Representatives Are Left Out of Key Consultations

Video download link | md5sum d61cabdab8e14a34185a0b3ba94916a6 Dictators-Run EPO Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0



Summary: Clueless politicians with no grasp (or very scarce understanding) of patent law are taking over the entire state of EPOnia; it is a recipe for disaster as it facilitates coups by "special interests" (or moneyed interests), detached entirely from scientific objectives

MR. "efficiencies" António Campinos acts as if the EPO is basically a bank. Like bankers who disregard science, laws, their native populations and so forth. The video above reminds examiners that the patent examination process should be a lot like peer review, not a business-minded escapade. The EPO's management is recklessly breaking the law, capitalising on diplomatic immunity as if it's a licence to invade courts, introduce illegal measures, and drain the life out of the whole system for personal gain. Thankfully many examiners are fighting back. They didn't join the Office to conduct clerical tasks for Campinos and his chums. They're researchers, not machines operators.



Nice one, AntónioThe Central Staff Committee (CSC) has taken note of the fact that the Office isn't even listening to staff anymore. It's basically a dictatorship (you know whose!) and it's designed to pass wealth from ordinary Europeans to plutocrats and corporations that are typically not European. Pillage and plunder (P&P) disguised as "Patents" and "Protection"[ism]...

"A GCC meeting took place on 16 February," the CSC wrote. "Two documents were submitted for information, i.e. the President did not expect our opinion on them. However, in order to do our job, we consider that we have to give our opinion on both documents, which we sent to him and which you can read..."

The General Consultative Committee (GCC) was explained here in past years and introduced in the video above.

Now on to the documents from the CSC. They've sent to staff this one page summary along with this more detailed document [PDF], an opinion with annex. Or "Target Operating Model for DG1 Organisational Steps & Other Organisational Changes (including H&S)," to use their own words.

Here's the much shorter document of the pair, as shown in the video above:



Opinion of the CSC members of the GCC on GCC/DOC 01/2022

Salary Savings Plan: Launch of two new target funds and update of Circular 317



Introduction

The list of funds in the life-cycle strategy needs to be updated at regular time intervals (e.g. on a five-year basis). The list is an integral part of Circular 317, The change in 2022 consists in the addition of two further funds in the life-cycle strategy.

On consultation

One duty of the Supervisory Committee for the Salary Savings Plan is to supervise investment management and administration for the salary savings plan. It shall also advise the President of the Office and may issue recommendations1. As a result, documents relating to the investment strategy available to the Salary Savings Plan members must be submitted to the Supervisory Committee. This has not taken place.

In addition, the document is presented to the GCC for information only. It relates to an amendment to Circular 317, which is an integral part (Part 1b) of the Service Regulations. Previous document (GCC/DOC 29/2019 REV1) was tabled to the GCC for consultation.

Therefore, the consultation process is flawed in two respects.

On the substance

The CSC members of the GCC gave a unanimous positive opinion on Circular 317 in its previous version of 2 June 2020. The change in 2022 consists in the mere addition of two further funds in the life-cycle strategy.

The CSC members of the GCC give a positive opinion on this amendment.

____ 1 See Article 4 ServRegs - Impl. R. Supervisory Committee


As noted this morning (actually recorded yesterday), there's just about ZERO MEDIA COVERAGE about this situation, a conflict inside Europe's second-largest institution. This so-called "conspiracy of silence" isn't helping Europe or the EU; these things are adding up and they'll just boil over worse than before (the Benoît Battistelli era).

To use an analogy, similarly inside corporations or institutions (e.g. government departments) that don't permit airing of grievances internally there's a build-up of silent dissent, which eventually spills over and gets "out there" like Edward Snowden's NSA leaks. Snowden had studied the stories of prior NSA whistleblowers (at least 3 of them, J. Kirk Wiebe, Thomas Drake, and William Binney) and even tested the water a bit before choosing to meet journalists in Hong Kong. The EPO is well aware of all the scandals; the European Council trying to cover things up along with the Administrative Council simply ensures that the blowback will discredit a lot more than the EPO, causing a crisis not just for the Office but the whole of the EU and pertinent national governments, including ours.

Given the lack of participation by the media, which actively keeps this crisis under the wraps, we'd like to urge readers to contact local publishers. Here's a list of them for Europe:

.ad     RTVA    https://rtva.ad/
.al     RTSH    https://rtsh.al/
.at     ORF     https://der.orf.at/
.ba     BHRT    https://bhrt.ba/
.be     RTBR    https://rtbf.be/
.be     VRT     https://vrt.be/
.bg     BNR     https://www.bnr.bg/
.bg     BNT     https:/bnt.bg/
.ch     SRGSSR  https://www.srgssr.ch/
.cy     PIK     https://cybc.com.cy/
.cz     ÄŒeská televize  http://www.ceskatelevize.cz
.cz     Český rozhlas   http://www.rozhlas.cz/
.de     BR      http://br.de/
.de     Deutschlandradio        https://www.deutschlandradio.de/
.de     DW      https://dw.com/
.de     HR      https://hr.de/
.de     MDR     https://mdr.de/
.de     NDR     http://www.ndr.de/
.de     Radiobremen     https://www.radiobremen.de/
.de     RBB     https://www.rbb-online.de/
.de     SR      https://sr.de/
.de     SWR     https://swr.de/
.de     WDR     https://wdr.de/
.de     ZDF     https://zdf.de/
.dk     DR      https://dr.dk/
.dk     TV2     https://tv2.dk/
.ee     ERR     https://www.err.ee/
.es     RTVE    https://rtve.es/
.fi     YLE     https://yle.fi/
.fo     KvF     https://kvf.fo/
.fr     France Médias Monde     http://www.francemediasmonde.com/
.fr     France Télévisions      http://www.france.tv/
.fr     Radio France    https://radiofrance.fr/
.ge     GPB     https://gpb.ge/
.gl     KNR     https://www.knr.gl/
.gr     EPT     https://int.ert.gr/
.gr     EPT     https://webradio.ert.gr/
.gr     EPT     https://www.ert.gr/
.hr     HRT     https://hrt.hr/
.hu     Duna Médiaszolgáltató   https://dunamsz.hu/
.hu     MTVA    https://mtva.hu/
.ie     RTÉ     https://rte.ie/
.ie     TG4     https://tg4.ie/
.it     RAI     https://rai.it/
.lt     LRT     https://lrt.lt/
.lu     Radio 100,7     https://100komma7.lu/
.lu     RTL     https://www.rtlgroup.com/
.lv     LR      https://www.latvijasradio.lsm.lv/
.lv     LSM     https://lsm.lv/
.lv     LTV     https://ltv.lsm.lv/lv/
.mc     MMD     https://www.mmd.mc/en/
.md     TRM     https://trm.md/
.me     RTCG    https://rtcg.me/
.mk     MPT     https://play.mrt.com.mk/
.mt     PBS     https://www.pbs.com.mt/
.nl     AVROTROS        https://www.avrotros.nl/
.nl     BNNVARA https://bnnvara.nl/
.nl     EO      https://www.eo.nl/
.nl     HUMAN   https://human.nl/
.nl     KRO-NCRV        http://kro-ncrv.nl/
.nl     MAX     https://www.omroepmax.nl/
.nl     NOS     https://nos.nl/
.nl     NPO     https://www.npo.nl/
.nl     NTR     https://ntr.nl/
.nl     PowNed  https://www.powned.tv/
.nl     STER    https://www.ster.nl/
.nl     VPRO    https://vpro.nl/
.nl     WNL     https://www.omroepwnl.nl/
.no     NRK     https://nrk.no/
.pl     SpóÅ‚ka Akcyjna  http://prsa.com.pl/
.pl     TVP     https://tvp.pl/
.pt     RTP     https://rtp.pt/
.ro     SRR     https://srr.ro/
.ro     TVR     https://tvr.ro/
.rs     RTS     https://rts.rs/
.se     SR      http://www.sr.se/
.se     SVT     https://www.svt.se/
.se     UR      https://www.ur.se/
.si     RTV     https://rtvslo.si/
.si     RÚV     https://www.ruv.is/
.sk     RTVS    https://rtvs.sk/
.sm     RTV     https://sanmarinortv.sm/
.ua     Suspilne        https://corp.suspilne.media/
.va     Statio Radiophonica Vaticana    https://www.vaticannews.va/


"The list of national broadcasters can be of use to EPO staff in reaching out about the upcoming strike," an associate told me this morning. "Given that the EPO is the second largest international organisation in Europe, the news is relevant to the member states. However, they would have to be contacted by native speakers and, preferably, residents or nationals."

Recent Techrights' Posts

Lies Need to be Corrected
the Court never invited us
 
EPO Staff Representation Lacks Social Dialogue With Relevant Management, Controversial and Sometimes Illegal Policies Implemented Without Necessary Input
"In this open letter, the CSC requests that the President submits an agenda item in the next available General Consultative Committee (GCC) meeting on setting up regular meetings between the CSC and the higher management of DG1."
Links 16/10/2025: Political Leftovers and Gemini Protocol Links
Links for the day
Slopwatch: Guardian Digital (linuxsecurity.com), Slashdot, Google News, and More
Maybe one day, once the bubble pops completely, Google News will just outright delist all slopfarms
Lufthansa Modern Slavery, Joerg Jaspert (ganneff) & Debian NSB Softwareentwicklung charade
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Links 16/10/2025: US Starting More Trade Wars With China, CIA War on Venezuela
Links for the day
SUSE Blog is Still LLM Slop, Marketing Manager at SUSE Cannot Write
Would you buy from a company or seek support from a company that cannot even write (or fakes writing)?
Pretend You're Not Dead: Microsoft Spent Almost Two Decades Rebranding Things as "Cloud, Then "AI", Now "XBox" and "Quantum"
"AI" bubble pops, Microsoft harping about "quantum" already
IBM Allegedly Found New Tricks for Silent Layoffs: LPI, Then MIS (Not PIP)
Remember that "Red Hat layoffs" won't be reported after the bluewashing
Links 16/10/2025: Red Lines and Feeding of Microsoft Trolls
Links for the day
MIT as a Propaganda Mill of GAFAM, Paid by GAFAM
"the news" today
Links 16/10/2025: Lies Euphemised as ‘Dueling Versions of Reality’ and Microsoft "Open" "Hey Hi" Resorts to Porn as No Business Model Was Found
Links for the day
The Local Staff Committee Munich (Representation of the EPO's Staff) Explains When Cluster of Pregnancies May Result in Reduced Pay
"...even one week of part-time working is sufficient to reduce the salary you perceive during the entirety of your maternity leave."
Another Black Eye for 'Secure Boot', Microsoft Media Tries to Blame "Linux"
It enables Microsoft to remotely control computers, even computers that don't run Windows and never had any Microsoft software installed
Slopwatch: UbuntuPIT, linuxsecurity.com, and Various Slopfarms in Google News Attacking "Linux"
A new survey of the Web said that the majority of the Web is now slop (that's being said in the news this week)
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, October 15, 2025
IRC logs for Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Links 16/10/2025: Increased Use of Social Control Media Surveillance in US, French Rage Over Pensions
Links for the day
Links 15/10/2025: Qantas Airways Loses Control of Sensitive Data and Software Patents Are Being Thrown Out
Links for the day
Vista 10 is 'Dead', Here's Why People Should Move to GNU/Linux (or the BSDs)
Today we try to make an outline of reasons move away from Windows to GNU/Linux
Our Sites Continue to Improve
LLM slop has had no noticeable impact on us
Gemini Links 15/10/2025: Neovim, Helix Compared and Gemlog.blue Now Closed
Links for the day
Links 15/10/2025: Mass Layoffs at Amazon, OneDrive Spyware Revved Up, More 'Gen Z Protests'
Links for the day
The EPO's Staff Engagement Survey 2025 is Already Tainted by Intimidation by EPO Management (Trying to Influence Outcomes by Scaring Genuine, Honest Critics)
"[W]e have received reports that, following the previous survey, teams with negative responses were reproached or questioned about their answers..."
The DDoS Attacks by Microsoft's Scam Altman and Other Slop Charlatans and Frauds is Hurting the FSF, Delinking It From Copyleft Projects
This impacts a lot more than access to the licences
Microsoft Scanning Faces in Photos People Upload to Microsoft (Even Unconsciously), Slashdot Turns Report About It Into "Microsoft Sez" (Says)
Or "let's repeat the lies from a PR person/Microsoft's publicist"
[Teaser] Angel Aledo Lopez the Manipulator (Nepotism, Poll Rigging, and Other EPO Corruption)
We'll discuss this later today or tomorrow, based on internal EPO material
Attacks on Techrights Are Only Making Techrights Bigger and Even More Popular
A week ago they offered to settle with us
Epic Metaphor for End of IBM: "The IBM Demolition is Down to the Last Shards!"
Nothing lasts forever
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, October 14, 2025
IRC logs for Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Proprietary and DRM Prisons Spiralling Down the Sinkhole? Not Just Yet.
Let's hope that more people will flee to GNU/Linux
The European Patent Office (EPO), the Second-Largest Institution in Europe, is Cracking Down on Recreational Activities
Without AMICALE activities, and as staff already says it's pressured to work more for less, how can the EPO recruit bright people?
Transparency: FSFE financial reports exclude speaker fees and expenses
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Many Developers Have Many Political Views, They'll Never Agree on Everything
It's an effort to divide and destroy, not build
Gemini Links 14/10/2025: An Opportunity to Consider GNU/Linux and Another Simple IRC Client
Links for the day
Slopwatch: UbuntuPIT, LinuxSecurity, Google News, and the Serial Slopper Brian Fagioli
Nothing of merit here, just more slop
Links 14/10/2025: Lack of Trust in Slop and "Retirement Challenges"
Links for the day
EPO Staff Can Go Listen to Richard Stallman Next Week in Munich (Technical University of Munich, Rudolf-Diesel Hörsaal (MW2001) on Campus Garching at 18:00)
"The talk is open to the public and attendance is free. Registration is not required."
Rhonda D'Vine, Gerfried Fuchs, Pronouns & Debian pregnancy cluster
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
At IBM, Relocation Means Layoffs (Downsizing)
Silent or 'invisible' layoffs?
Central Staff Committee of the European Patent Office (EPO) Warns That EPO Management is Robbing or Manipulating Pension Funds Again
Faking "growth" is just about as bad as forgery
Probably a Lot Worse Than LLM Slop: GNOME Tying Itself to Divisive Politics, Even Where It's Clearly Not Relevant
Something has gone terribly wrong in GNOME
Links 14/10/2025: Microsoft OneDrive Scanning Faces in Photos (Without Asking First), "OpenAI Says It Will Move to Allow Smut"
Links for the day
They Generally Don't Like Scholars, as They're Less Compelled or Pressured to Repeat What Corporations and Oligarchs Say
People who loathe scholars have an agenda in mind that, unlike that of reasonable people, revolves around controlling people
Dystopian Trends in Technology Make Richard Stallman More Relevant Than Ever
It's good to see him attracting vast audiences
Belated New Article About Last Thursday's Lecture by Richard Stallman in Helsinki, Finland
there are good reasons to pay with cash, not limited to privacy
Attacking Richard Stallman Has Become 'Career Suicide'
If you're going to viciously attack somebody, make sure your arguments are rock-solid
Microsoft's Failing XBox Business Has Turned Games Into Funerals
How does it feel to depend on Microsoft?
Yesterday's "Distinguished Lecture" by Richard Stallman Possibly Attended by Close to 1,000 People
The capacity of the place is about 900
Slop Poisons Everything
Imagine wanting to find what Torvalds has just said or what has just been released
Taking Software Freedom 'Mainstream'
interest in Software Freedom must have grown
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, October 13, 2025
IRC logs for Monday, October 13, 2025
Gemini Links 14/10/2025: Ada Lovelace Day, Sony CLIE PEG-TG50 Review, Why to Avoid Network Solutions
Links for the day
Richard Stallman (RMS) Announced His Talk Less Than 24 Hours Before It Took Place and Still Filled Up the Auditorium at Sapienza Università di Roma
Photos from yesterday evening [...] It looks like it was a very successful event