After the Battistelli era there is a new broom at the European Patent Office. The former president left a legacy of deep distrust of the leadership on the part of the workforce. The debate about the quality of the patents being granted by the EPO continues to rage. The new management under president António Campinos includes three vice-presidents who joined the management committee in 2019. They face a Herculean task.
The first signs of change are already visible. Patent attorneys interviewed by JUVE Patent are cautiously optimistic about the discussion surrounding the quality of patents granted by the EPO. “We see that Campinos is very willing to talk. He took the time to talk to representatives of the legal profession,” says Eva Ehlich, patent attorney at Maiwald.
Munich firm Maiwald was one of four German law firms to sign an open letter in mid-2018 expressing criticism of the efficiency strategy initiated by Battistelli. Those who signed the letter believe the increase in productivity has led to a decrease in the quality of patents granted. Campinos met with representatives of the law firms in October to discuss the concerns expressed in the letter.
The complete Juve-Patent article can be downloaded under:
https://www.juve-patent.com/news-and-stories/legal-commentary/clearing-the-cobwebs/
