How have things evolved since 2022?

With the reduced level of recruitment currently in force, meaning that the replacement rate is lower than 1:1, it is difficult to quantify the impact on the ability of the EPO to recruit since the introduction of fixed-term contracts. From the data that is available (see graph below), it is clear that the average age of recruits is increasing, which may have some impact from the move to fixed-term contracts. In addition, the number of new recruits that hold a PhD remains high at over 60%. Recently, the Office also changed the language policy to only requiring that candidates have a knowledge of one of the three official languages on recruitment in order to increase the pool of potential candidates. However, it seems that only in rare cases do colleagues join with knowledge of only one official language.

What happened to the proposals made by the SR in 2022/2023?

(Limitation of max contract duration from 10 to 5 years, 1 year notice period, clear extension and conversion criterias, balancing interests of staff and EPO, equality of treatment).

The president of the EPO did agree to implement the 1 year notice period, but refused to reduce the maximum contract duration from 10 years to 5 years, despite the arguments related to the national legal limits on fixed-term contracts in the host states, or the issue that under 1:1 recruitment conditions, the 20% limit of fixed-term contract staff would be reached before the 10 year period. No progress was made about balancing staff and EPO interests further or equality of treatment. The criteria of extension and conversion of contracts were supposedly improved with the introduction of a new Circular 405, but it is debateable whether any clarity was brought by this Circular.

The working group including management and staff representation on employment conditions is no longer active, but there is interest to revive the topic and keep the issue in the spotlight.

What about other non-permanent staff (Young professionals, IT staff, externals)?

There is no accessible data for external staff such as those working in IT, and as such we cannot track how the numbers evolve. Regarding the new Young professionals’ scheme, a type of internship/training scheme for recent graduates, the Office is taking full advantage of the possibility. Over 100 are recruited annually, and around 2/3 of the group have their contracts extended from the first year into the second and third years, despite this being originally estimated by the Office at 30%. These staff members often hold the required education level to be recruited as examiners or other staff members, and as such the possibility for the Office to recruit them into those roles, before waiting until the completion of the full 3 year training scheme should be considered.  before offering examiner positions. The conversion rate from YP to fixed-term contract employee is still quite low, with only a handful from the 100 or so that enter the Office each year making the transition.

Present and future challenges for staff

As is the case in other organisations, non-permanent staff at the EPO face extra issues when compared to their permanent peers. These include; difficulty to start a family with an unknown future, particularly for women who would need to take extended maternity leave which could be considered to impact their chances of a renewed contract; additional production pressure being put on these colleagues who are no longer mostly concerned about their ability to achieve a career advancement, but rather to ensure that they keep their job with a contract extension and eventual conversion to permanent. This gives the management much more leverage to assert pressure than the rewards exercise; difficulty of these colleagues to speak up i.e. in appeals, joining staff representation, joining unions and actions, or even speaking against managerial harassment or inappropriate behaviour.