Euro Patent Office fails miserably in key accountability case

The Administrative Council of the European Patent Office (EPO) has inflamed already heightened tensions within the organization by failing to properly address an important accountability test case. The ruling body of the international organization – made up of representatives of European governments – was formally criticized …

[Slx]

Irish Referendum Coming up ...

Ireland has to have a referendum on harmonisation of European patents jurisdiction as it involves a court that is not described in our constitution.

In different circumstances, I might agree with the concept as it would streamlines development processes and opens up an easier path to market, but with this joke shop in charge, I will be putting my X right next to the big box marked NO / NIL !

I'm happy with our own patents process, until there's something properly organised to replace it. I would have no confidence in this body at all based on what I've been reading.

The European Commission needs to go back to the drawing board. This simply isn't good enough.

[Harry Kiri]

Re: Irish Referendum Coming up ...

You really think that you have an option on this?

Vote the wrong way and your friendly EU will twist your arm until you come up with the 'right' answer. It'll impose punitive measures on your resistance until you toe the line. Ireland has done quite nicely out of the EU so I cant see your nation rocking the boat anytime soon.

[Warm Braw]

Re: Irish Referendum Coming up ...

your friendly EU

... has nothing to do with it.

[Harry Kiri]

Re: Irish Referendum Coming up ...

Anyone that threatens to diminish European harmonisation by a 'European' institution will have their arm twisted by the EU. So yes, they will have something to do with it.

Unification only goes one way and the EU will not have anything that looks like a fracturing of European unity.

[Warm Braw]

Re: Irish Referendum Coming up ...

yes, they will have something to do with it

Well, the Contracting States (which overlap with the EU states) appear to have been failing dismally to influence the EPO, never mind anyone else. If the European Commission had any influence, it presumably would have used it to resolve this ongoing impediment to "European harmonisation" before now.

It would seem that the aim of the EPO to reach beyond the mere confines of the EU is actually the source of the problem. Had it just been an agency of the EU, none of this could have arisen.

I presume you'd prefer a model in which every country has a separate Patent Office and businesses have to file their patents in every single one?

[Harry Kiri]

Re: Irish Referendum Coming up ...

"I presume you'd prefer a model in which every country has a separate Patent Office and businesses have to file their patents in every single one?"

Yeah, once you go ad hominem I give up listening.

[Slx]

Re: Irish Referendum Coming up ...

Previously when we voted again, the EU added protocols to treaties to satisfy the Irish voters. We weren't just voting again on the same treaty without change. That's a total myth that's endlessly repeated by Brexiteers and others who want to make out that the whole thing was anti-democratic.

Irish protocol on Lisbon Treaty - have a read:

https://www.dfa.ie/media/dfa/alldfawebsitemedia/treatyseries/uploads/documents/legaldivisiondocuments/treatyseries2014/No25-of-2014.pdf

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2013:060:0131:0139:EN:PDF

If we vote it down and they then address the problems and put it to me again, I might change my mind. Until then, it's getting a big fat NO!

[Anonymous Coward]

Corruption is worth it, thats the problem.

Having just had experience of corruption in an org I was contracting at, you can fight it (costing money and personal life) or move on. You can't beat someone who does this day in, day out and has the resources of an organisation.

Whistleblowers or civilians fighting against corruption never come off well.

[Hans 1]

=?utf-8?B?cHV0YWlu?=

I think the fact that the commission did nothing about corrupt Benoit is already a sign of deeper corruption. Reinstating the bloke to report to corrupt Benoit, are they nuts or taking the piss ?

[The questioner]

Confidential??

So have all disciplinary proceedings against Mr Corcoran have been terminated or not? Whilst the report of the AC's decision would suggest that this is so, not everything is necessarily consistent with this conclusion. If indeed there are no disciplinary proceedings still pending, then what basis would there be for Carl Josefsson's assertion that "confidentiality obligations" prevented him from revealing the outcome of the case? Or was Mr Josefsson merely referring to the AC's decision on whether or not to reappoint Mr Corcoran as a member of the Boards of Appeal (and using this as a convenient excuse to avoid discussing the AC's decision on the disciplinary proceedings)?

If the outcome is indeed termination of the proceedings but no reappointment, then this is yet another example of the myopia and total ineffectiveness of the AC. If anyone on the AC thinks that Mr Corcoran will be left in peace by the President (even if only for 6 months), then they really have not been paying sufficient attention to how long the President can hold a grudge against those that commit the crime of lèse-majesté.

[Big_Boomer]

DonkeyB*****y?

As previously stated, someone has photos of someone else B*******g a donkey. Only way to explain how this corrupt situation has remained in place for so long.

[Matthew 26]

Seriously, this sort of excrement almost makes checks every box on English stereotypes about French bureaucrats.

The worst part is that you know that Nigel Farage is using this to make his point.