BREAKING NEWS - EPO consults on proposed structural reform of Boards of Appeal
Merpel has just noticed that today the European Patent Office has published on its website an on-line consultation on the proposals for the reform of the administration and structure of the Boards of Appeal. As reported by the IPKAt (here, here and here) the proposals, put by the EPO President to the Administrative Council in March, were ostensibly to increase the independence of the Boards of Appeal, but also (regrettably in Merpel's view) alluded to issues of efficiency. Both AMBA (the Association of Members of the Boards of Appeal) and the Presidium of the Boards of Appeal raised concerns about some aspects of the proposals, as reported by the IPKat here.
The consultation will run until 30 June 2015.
The consultation itself is https://forms.epo.org/law-practice/consultation/ongoing/boards-of-appeal-form.html
The proposals can be read in the links above, or in pdf form here.
The report of the March meeting of the Administrative Council is here.
According to the consultation form, input appears to be specifically solicited from Patent attorneys, In-house patent council, Attorneys-in-law/solicitors/barristers, Judges, and University/research institutions, and filling in one of these categories (or "other") is mandatory. It is also mandatory to name the responder - so anonymous submissions are not welcomed.
Merpel urges interested parties to make their views known.
The consultation will run until 30 June 2015.
The consultation itself is https://forms.epo.org/law-practice/consultation/ongoing/boards-of-appeal-form.html
The proposals can be read in the links above, or in pdf form here.
The report of the March meeting of the Administrative Council is here.
According to the consultation form, input appears to be specifically solicited from Patent attorneys, In-house patent council, Attorneys-in-law/solicitors/barristers, Judges, and University/research institutions, and filling in one of these categories (or "other") is mandatory. It is also mandatory to name the responder - so anonymous submissions are not welcomed.
Merpel urges interested parties to make their views known.