UPDATE – 06 JULY 2026:
Which strategy is needed for the European Patent Organisation (EPO) in the context of European competitiveness?
Open letter from the EPO Central Staff Committee
The Administrative Council of the EPO will be soon tasked with the assessment of the progress in the Strategic Plan 2028 and the design of a future strategic plan. In this context, the Central Staff Committee (CSC) respectfully submitted by letter of 23 June 2026 to the delegations’ observations on:
- The Draghi recommendations for European Competitiveness were disrupted by the policies of the EPO
- Towards AI assistance or AI automation?
- EPO recruitment policy completely lacks transparency
- Social Dialogue: From decline to ghosting
- EPO communication vs EPO reality
The CSC respectfully invites the Council to take into account our report on the situation at the EPO and call for a strategic discussion before taking any decision on the EPO presidency.
Read more in the open letter here.
Update – 26 June 2026:
USF addresses EPO President on escalating social conflict
Following the concerns outlined below with the letter sent on December 2025, the Union Syndicale Fédérale (USF) has formally written to the President of the European Patent Office on 26 June 2026 to raise serious concerns regarding the current handling of social dialogue at the EPO.
In its letter, USF highlights the growing social unrest within the Office, noting that more than 13,000 strike days have already been recorded in 2026 alone, with further industrial action anticipated. This level of conflict now surpasses that seen in previous years and reflects a deepening breakdown in trust between staff and management.
Read the full letter here
Original post dated 2 December 2025
EPO staff are not ready to accept substantial losses of purchasing power
The Union Syndicale Fédérale (USF) has published an open letter expressing serious concern about the latest developments at the European Patent Office (EPO). As a federation representing unions across EU and international public services, USF draws attention to long-standing issues at the EPO and highlights the renewed pressures facing staff today — from excessive production demands to understaffing, uncertainty around allowances, and a significant loss of purchasing power.
The letter also recalls past instances where the EPO faced public and institutional criticism over labour rights and governance issues, warning that the current trajectory risks repeating old patterns. With this message, USF reaffirms its support for SUEPO and EPO staff, encouraging vigilance and readiness to act should future salary or working-condition measures further undermine staff welfare.
