European Patent Office supremo rapped on knuckles by nation reps

The Administrative Council of the European Patent Office (EPO) has rapped its rampaging president on the knuckles at a two-day meeting in Munich but failed to take any public action against him despite pleas from staff. Benoit Battistelli has been under increasing fire in recent weeks after he ignored a previous order from the …

[Oh Homer]

"Limit his tendencies"?

Surely the best way to "limit the tendencies" of an unmitigated thug like Battistelli would be to sack him.

Or do such remedial measures only apply to we peasants?

[Aitor 1]

Re: "Limit his tendencies"?

He should be in prison.

[Fungus Bob]

Re: "Limit his tendencies"?

I think you mean "wee peasants"...

[Anonymous Coward]

Italy knows how to deal with Dictators.

[Anonymous Coward]

>Italy knows how to deal with Dictators.

Benoit Battistelli is French hence the Napoleon reference in the article, we're talking snails and frogs legs here, not pizza and spaghetti.

[Fruit and Nutcase]

Benoit Battistelli is French hence the Napoleon reference in the article

Perhaps Britain could suggest the relocation of the office of the President of the EPO to St. Helena?

[Blofeld's Cat]

Hmm...

"There is some consternation over the BoA move, which some see as just the latest effort by Battistelli to undermine and downplay the independent body."

This is obviously some definition of the word "independent", of which I was previously unaware.

[Don Dumb]

This raises further questions

"the decision to move the BoA to Haar passed by 21 votes to seven, with another seven countries abstaining. Commentators have noted that the nations that voted in favor are the same ones that repeatedly block efforts to admonish or fire Battistelli. Most represent Europe's smaller economies."

I feel there is some comment missing in this story -

Is there any reason for smaller economies to protect Battistelli?

This seems a bit like Sepp Blatter remaining President of Fifa for so long because the smaller Fifa nations didn't want to oust him. In that case it was because Blatter kept the gravy flowing to them.

What I can't work out is what motivation small European economies have to keep Battistelli, this is just a Patent Office - does he provide smaller nations with something that they are worried will be stopped if he is removed?

[Lars]

Swede

A Swede unless his name is Swede I would suggest.

PS. the majority of the European countries are small countries.

[Anonymous Coward]

...but failed to take any public action against him despite pleas from staff.

I can only assume that he knows where the bodies are.

[Adrian Tawse]

Find alternative work?

Those who really matter, those who scrutinize patents, are highly skilled. Surely they would be warmly welcomed in almost any tech company. When the EPO just grinds to a halt that should concentrate a few of those flabby minds.