Communiqués
34th meeting of the Select Committee of the Administrative Council (Munich, 9 October 2025)
33rd meeting of the Select Committee of the Administrative Council held in Munich (19 March 2025)
34th meeting of the Select Committee of the Administrative Council (Munich, 9 October 2025)
The Select Committee of the European Patent Organisation held its 34th meeting in Munich on 9 October 2025 under its Chairperson Mr Paul VAN BEUKERING (NL).
As the first part of the two-step process of modernising the EPO’s external governance proposed by the Chairperson, the Committee unanimously adopted the amendments to its Rules of Procedure, and noted the working arrangements for the preparation, organisation and conduct of the meetings of the Committee.
The Committee also unanimously adopted the amendments to the Rules relating to Unitary Patent Protection. These amendments aim to make Unitary Patent (UP) secondary legislation gender-neutral, in alignment with the European Patent Office’s broader diversity and inclusion goals.
Further, the Committee noted the update by the Registrar of the Unified Patent Court (UPC), Mr Alexander RAMSAY, on the latest UPC developments and achievements to date. These include the continued increase in cases filed at both the Court of First Instance and the Court of Appeal, the availability of statistics, the functioning of the UPC’s flexible language regime and the ongoing progress in staffing, with more legally qualified judges now employed full time and supported by an expanding team of clerks. The Committee also noted the launch of a new case management system, developed jointly with the EPO and refined in consultation with users, as well as an update on progress towards the launch of the Patent Mediation.
The Office then provided an update on the status of the operational aspects of the Unitary Patent system, noting strong performance since 2023, with over 70 000 requests received to date, a processing time of under ten days on average, a rejection rate of just 0.1%, and high user satisfaction. It was emphasised that, as more countries join, the market would expand and costs would further decrease for patent proprietors: if all 27 EU Member States were to participate, costs could be reduced by more than 80%. Updates were provided on the UP Guidelines, EU sanctions-related rejections, and actions that had been brought at the UPC Central Division as well as UPC Court of Appeal. Regarding the user community, the Committee noted that one-third of proprietors from EPC contracting states are SMEs, with two thirds of European SMEs opting for unitary effect. Among the IP5, a steady increase in requests from P.R. China, R. Korea and the US is observed, while the Office continues with its efforts to further improve Japanese user engagement. Finally, uptake has been strong across all technological fields, with global uptake reaching 28%, exceeding the budgeted 27%. Among EU proprietors, uptake is approaching 40%, and for EU-based users in pharmaceuticals and civil engineering it exceeds 50%, resulting in a positive financial impact.
Regarding the financial aspects, the Committee noted the quarterly budget implementation statements on income and expenditure relating to the UP after Q1 and Q2 2025, and gave a unanimously favorable opinion on the draft statement of income and expenditure for the UP, covering the 2025 forecast and the 2026 budget. Estimates for the period 2027–2030 were also presented.
The Committee noted in closed session the reports on the distribution of fees in Q1 and Q2 2025, as well as the application of the safety net mechanism for 2024 and the provisional settlement for 2025. It also noted financial projections for member states for the period 2026–2030.
Furthermore, the Committee received an update from the Office regarding its communication and promotional activities undertaken since the Committee’s previous meeting.
The Committee then noted the information provided by the European Commission on the preparation of the first report on the operation of the UP, which is to be produced by mid-2026. It also noted the Office’s announcement of its contribution to the report, which is due to be presented at the Administrative Council meeting in December under the UP agenda item and at the Select Committee meeting in March.
Lastly the Committee noted the call by the Office, endorsed by the Chairperson, to promote broader participation in the UP system. The Chairperson stressed that for the EU internal market to reap the full benefits of the scheme, it is crucial that all participating member states implement the UP system.
Council Secretariat
184th meeting of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation (Munich, 8 and 9 October 2025)
The Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation held its 184th meeting in Munich in a hybrid format on 8 and 9 October 2025 under its Chairperson Josef KRATOCHVÍL (CZ).
After the Chairperson's activities report, the Council noted the Office’s quarterly activities report, which highlighted the developments under the five drivers of the SP2028. The Office reported improved quality and efficiency in the patent granting process, attributing these results to timely file handling, simplification of processes, and digitalisation. Productivity gains had surpassed the Financial Study’s projection of 2.1% on average per year, with the 4.8% increase in 2024 underscoring the pivotal role of productivity in sustaining competitive fees, an attractive social package and long-term financial stability. As a result, the Office is closing the gap in long-term liabilities ahead of schedule.
The Office also highlighted the digitalisation of corporate services with the recent upgrade of the EPO’s financial and HR system, and the progress in delivering the Building Investment Programme. Continued co-operation with European and international partners was reported, with a particular focus on the two-year anniversary of the launch of the EPO’s Observatory.
The Council noted that the Quality Action Plan 2025 continued to yield positive results, as confirmed by the recent User Satisfaction Survey, and welcomed the Office’s commitment to securing long-term financial sustainability, the increase in productivity combined with the high quality of products, as well as the ongoing dialogue with users. Finally, the Council noted that the Office had become the first international organisation to receive the European Commission’s adequacy decision, recognising its high data protection standards in ensuring secure data flows.
The Council then noted the activities report of the President of the Boards of Appeal (PBoA) for 2025. Highlights included the steady progress towards the objective of having no more than 10% of pending cases older than 24 months by the end of 2025, this objective being also extended to 2026. The report covered also quality improvements and considerations on the use of AI-powered tools. The Council warmly thanked the Boards of Appeal staff for their excellent results. Further, the Council noted the report from the chairperson of the Boards of Appeal Committee (BOAC) on its recent meeting.
The Council took a number of decisions on individual appointments and unanimously decided to
- unanimously reappoint Mr Carl JOSEFSSON (SE) as the PBoA and to his judicial functions (Chairperson of the Enlarged Board of Appeal, legally qualified member of the Boards of Appeal and Chairperson of the Disciplinary Board of Appeal) for a third term of office of five years, with effect from 1 March 2027, with his term of office ending when he reaches the statutory retirement age;
- reappoint Mr Klaus BACHER (DE) as external member of the BOAC for a further renewable term of office of three years, with effect from 13 October 2025 to 12 October 2028;
- reappoint Ms Gabriella MUSCOLO (IT) and Mr Carlos GONÇALVES DE MELO MARINHO (PT) as alternate external members of the BOAC for further renewable terms of office of three years, with effect from 14 December 2025 to 13 December 2028;
- appoint Ms Vicky ROUSS-DOUCHY (FR) as alternate member of the BOAC for a renewable term of office of three years, with effect from 9 October 2025 to 8 October 2028;
- appoint Mr Markus MOHLER (CH) as Chair of the Disciplinary Committee established by the Administrative Council for a term of office of three years, with effect from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2028; and
- reappoint Mr Peter BLOK (NL) and Ms Alicja ADAMCZAK (PL) as members of the Disciplinary Committee established by the Administrative Council for a term of office of three years, with effect from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2028.
The Council also decided on the reappointment and career progression of members of the Boards of Appeal and of the Enlarged Board of Appeal, based on recommendations by the PBoA.
The Council was updated on the latest Unitary Patent (UP) developments by the Office, which highlighted the growing uptake of the UP system since its launch in June 2023, with more than 70 000 requests received to date. Further updates were presented by the delegation of Denmark – the country holding the Presidency of the EU Council in the second half of 2025 – on its activities, with a continuing focus on the Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPC) system. The Council also took note of the upcoming contribution from the Office to the report on the UP system’s functioning by the European Commission, as well as the information provided by some EU Member States that have not yet joined the UP system on the status of their respective accession processes. The Chair’s call for regular updates in this regard in future Council meetings was also noted.
The Council unanimously decided to adopt the updated policy for negotiating and concluding validation agreements with non-European states and reaffirmed the policy’s strategic importance as a means of expanding the reach of the European patent system, promoting international co-operation, and benefitting users.
Turning to personnel and policy matters, the Council unanimously adopted the proposal concerning the use of gender-neutral language in the EPO’s legal instruments, aligning with the Office’s broader diversity and inclusion goals.
Council Secretariat
183rd meeting of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation (Munich, 24 and 25 June 2025)
The Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation held its 183rd meeting in Munich in a hybrid format on 24 and 25 June 2025 under its Chairperson Josef KRATOCHVÍL (CZ).
After the Chairperson's activities report, the Council noted the Office’s Annual Review, presented with a video illustrating the Office’s major achievements for 2024 in the implementation of SP2028. The Council congratulated the President and the staff on the impressive results and welcomed the focus on concrete quality actions in dialogue with users, the positive development of the EPO funding level and the development of further KPIs. The Office’s prudent approach and strategic direction were acknowledged too, including the notable results achieved in productivity, the increase in staff engagement, the commitment to long-term financial sustainability, the progress made in digital transformation, and the deepened co-operation with national offices.
The Council decided to elect Mr Panagiotis KANELLOPOULOS (GR) as member of the Board of the Administrative Council, with effect from 24 June 2025. It also decided to appoint Ms Zane PĒTERSONE (LV) as alternate external member of the Boards of Appeal Committee for a renewable term of office of three years, with effect from 24 June 2025.
In closed session, the Council unanimously decided to launch a call for candidates for an English-speaking member of the Board of Auditors and decided on the composition and setting up of the selection board. It also agreed to decide on the re-appointment of the President of the Boards of Appeal in its October meeting. Further, the Council decided on the appointment and reappointment of chairpersons and members of the Boards of Appeal and of the Enlarged Board of Appeal, based on proposals by the President of the Boards of Appeal. Finally, the Council unanimously decided on the early termination of the lease agreement for the 8inOne building in Haar, Munich.
Turning to diversity and inclusion, the Council unanimously adopted a proposal to modernise the EPO legal framework around parenthood based on inclusivity, flexibility, and fairness. Delegations noted that the new scheme would ensure that all forms of parenthood are treated equally and provide additional support for single parents, secondary caregivers in exceptional circumstances, and families facing challenging situations.
Furthermore, the Council gave a favourable opinion on the proposal for an update of the EPO Validation Policy to reflect the evolution of the system over the past 25 years, bringing benefits for both users and partner countries, which will always be based on the Council’s authorisation prior to the launch of negotiations with potential validation partners. Various aspects of the proposal were discussed, including the proposed selection criteria for potential validation partners, financial and political considerations in fee distribution, and the importance of maintaining flexibility through a case-by-case approach.
The Council then took note of the Office’s report on the processing of divisional applications and welcomed the Office’s commitment to ensuring legal certainty, transparency, and timely handling – particularly in response to concerns about their strategic use in the health sector – while also acknowledging that most applicants use divisionals responsibly.
Turning to operational matters, the Council unanimously adopted amendments to the Service Regulations regarding change of place of employment, which aim to enhance internal mobility and work-life balance while remaining budget neutral, taking into account feasibility and existing agreements with the Office's host countries. The Council also unanimously adopted amendments to the EPO's legal framework governing the Salary Savings Plan to ensure legal consistency and simplify and modernise existing provisions.
Turning to financial matters, the Council noted the opinion of the Board of Auditors and approved their report, along with the EPO's accounts for 2024 and therefore, discharged the President under Article 80(5) FinRegs and the Fund Administrator under Article 7(1) RFPSS Regs and Article 80(4) FinRegs. The Council also noted the positive new developments in both the planned IFRS standardised operating result and in the expected cash flow, and gave a favourable opinion on the initial budgetary orientations for 2026, welcoming the Office’s prudent financial planning, digitalisation efforts, and focus on long-term sustainability.
Finally, the Council noted the reports from the chairpersons of its various advisory bodies on their recent meetings, namely of the Budget and Finance Committee, the Technical and Operational Support Committee, Supervisory Board of the Reserve Funds for Pensions and Social Security, and the Select Committee.
Regarding the Unitary Patent, the Council was updated by the Office on the latest developments and was briefed by the Registrar of the Unified Patent Court (UPC), including on the Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre (PMAC). It also noted the status report by the Polish and Danish delegation, the member states holding the EU presidency for the first and second half of 2025 respectively, and the intervention by the European Commission.
Council Secretariat
182nd meeting of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation (Munich, 19 and 20 March 2025)
The Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation held its 182nd meeting in Munich in a hybrid format on 19 and 20 March 2025 under its Chairperson Josef KRATOCHVÍL (CZ).
After the Chairperson's activities report, the Council noted the Office’s comprehensive quarterly activities report, which highlighted the developments of the five drivers under the SP2028 and the progress made with the KPIs. The Council congratulated the President, management and staff on the excellent results achieved. Delegations and observers expressed their appreciation for the Office’s recruitment policy, its continuous commitment to quality, the developments in international and IT co-operation, and how the Office is leveraging the latest technological and artificial intelligence (AI) advancements while maintaining a human-centric approach.
Further, the Council noted the management report of the President of the Boards of Appeal (PBoA) for 2024. The Council warmly thanked the Boards of Appeal staff for their excellent results, the transparent, systematic and thorough reporting, and welcomed the additional information provided on aspects of the BoA’s productivity.
The Council re-elected Mr Johannes Christian WICHARD (DE) as Chairperson of the Technical and Operational Support Committee (TOSC) and Mr Peter SLATER (UK) as Deputy Chairperson of the TOSC for a further term of office of three years, with effect from 30 June 2025 and 29 June 2025 respectively. Furthermore, the Council decided on the reappointment of members of the Boards of Appeal, based on proposals by the PBoA.
In closed session, the Council noted the update provided by the Chairperson regarding the composition of the Board of Auditors and additional information relating to the Haar building.
Then, the Council unanimously approved the recommended common practice as regards observations by third parties and the recommended common practice as regards assignments.
The Council acknowledged the reports from the chairpersons of the Boards of Appeal Committee and of the Committee on Patent Law (CPL) on their recent meetings. Additionally, delegations had a further exchange on the processing of divisional applications.
Finally, the Council welcomed the Office’s report on the latest Unitary Patent developments, which highlighted the milestone of having received more than 50 000 requests for unitary effect by March 2025, and noted the activities report from the delegation of Poland, the country holding the Presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2025. A brief report by the Chairperson of the Select Committee on its 33rd meeting was also noted.
Council Secretariat
33rd meeting of the Select Committee of the Administrative Council held in Munich (19 March 2025)
The Select Committee of the European Patent Organisation held its 33rd meeting in Munich on 19 March 2025 under its Chairperson Mr Jérôme DEBRULLE (BE).
The Select Committee noted the Chairperson’s report on the Select Committee governance package. The Chairperson's proposal to modernise the Committee's governance aimed to align it with the recent modernisation of the Administrative Council, while safeguarding the Committee’s special status, including the European Commission’s role as observer. Taking note of possible amendments, which relate to voting, working arrangements, publication policies and a code of conduct, the Committee endorsed the way forward based on a two-stage approach.
The Committee then noted the update by the Registrar of the Unified Patent Court (UPC), Mr Alexander RAMSAY, on the latest UPC developments and achievements to date. These include the progress made on the new Case Management System, the status of staffing at the Court, and upcoming steps to establish the Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre (PMAC), along with the support provided by the Office to the Centre. The Office stressed the very positive development that the UPC was taking more and more of a key role in shaping patent jurisprudence and in contributing to the further harmonisation of the interpretation of substantive patent law in Europe.
The Office outlined the significant developments relating to operational aspects of the Unitary Patent (UP) system, highlighting the statistics provided on the UP dashboard, Romania's smooth accession process, the implementation of EU sanctions against Russia, and the entry into force of the first UP Guidelines on 1 April 2025. The significant increase in UP uptake, which reached 36.5% among European proprietors for the year 2024, positively impacted member states financially, while costs remained under control. Notably, total number of requests for unitary effect exceeded 50 000 this month, with a low rejection rate of 0.1%, and interest in the UP Register has also continued to grow. Regarding the user community, the Office reported that requests for unitary effect primarily came from EU member states (52.4%), while a noticeable increase in requests was observed from IP5 countries, where the Office will continue its outreach activities. Furthermore, over a third of proprietors from EPC Contracting States requesting unitary effect were SMEs.
The Committee noted the preliminary results of the budget implementation that the Office presented for 2024, and the related distribution of fees among participating Member States. The latest financial monitoring for 2024 showed the favourable development of the UP system, with the overall uptake rate reaching 25.6%, surpassing the budgeted 20%. This is reflected in the renewal fee income, which was 27% higher than budgeted. Costs were 10% above budget due to the higher-than-expected uptake rate. The shortfall from 2023 was significantly lower than expected, resulting in the net UP income to be distributed to participating Member States being 64% higher than budgeted.
Furthermore, the Committee received an update from the Office and the European Commission regarding their respective communication and promotional activities related to the Unitary Patent scheme undertaken since the Committee’s previous meeting.
In closing, the Committee thanked the outgoing Chairperson for his excellent chairpersonship since 2013 and noted that its next meeting would take place in October 2025.
Council Secretariat