Committees and their Members

Summaries of the tasks of some committees

The EPO Finances Committee

The Committee's terms of reference are to keep under review the information available, from the EPO or otherwise, concerning all aspects of the financial affairs and forward planning of the EPO having relevance for the levels of fees. The concern of the Committee is not just the absolute level of fees, but also assessing whether the users of the EPO get value for money. This involves looking to the Annual Report and other documents relating to the EPO's costs, staffing, financial obligations, performance, and levels of demand.

The European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC)

The European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) considers and discusses all questions pertaining to or connected with practice under the European Patent Convention, the Community Patent Regulation and the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), except questions concerning inventions in the field of patent information, on-line communication, litigation, biotechnology and the setting of fees. Members of the EPPC represent epi at various meetings with members of the EPO, so as to give the opinion of the Institute each time it appears useful. An epi/EPO Liaison sub-committee, established within the EPPC, meets usually once a year to discuss practical procedural questions.

Professional Education Committee (PEC)

PEC is the body that advises the epi Board on professional education and qualification. Each EPC member state has a representative on the Committee. The Committee liaises with the Examination Board/Examination Committees on behalf of epi.

Among the issues currently under discussion are the EQE success rates, and continuing professional education for professional representatives.

PeC includes working groups responsible for seminars, tutorials, epi students, epi tutors and the EQE. PEC also arranges a number of educational events, often in cooperation with the EP Academy, WIPO, national patent offices or national patent attorney associations.

The Harmonisation Committee

The Harmonisation Committee shall deal with all questions concerning the worldwide harmonisation of Patent Law. In particular,  the Committee shall advise the delegates named by the President of the Council for the meetings of the Standing Committee on the law of patents or for other related meetings convened by WIPO, and shall report to the Council about these meetings.

The epi Finances Committee

The Finance Committee shall advice on the preparation of the budget and make proposals for the financial planing and financial management of the Institute.

The Committee is empowered to consider all financial management of the Institute and shall investigate every aspect of the financial affairs of the Institute, particularly for the purpose of ensuring a balanced financial situation.

The Online Communications Committee (OCC)

The Online Communications Committee shall collaborate with the European Patent Office in its projects for introducing online communication. The Committee shall draw on experience and knowledge of the systems set up by the national Patent Offices of the USA and Japan.

In addition, the Committee shall monitor the activities of national Patent Offices in Europe and other official institutions in the area of online communications in connection with intellectual property and shall observe the efforts of these institutions regarding harmonisation of online communications.

The Committee shall deal with all questions relating to these projects referred to it by members of the epi. The Committee members have practical experience of online systems for the benefit of the members of epi, and of the European Patent Office and its users.

The By-Laws Committee

The By-laws Committee assists the President and the Board of the Council in all matters having regard to the interpretation of the various regulations of the epi, the most important of them being the Regulations on the Establishment and the By-Laws. On demand the Committee proposes in the three official languages amendments of the existing regulations or drafts new ones.

The By-Laws Committee comprises four members coming from countries where the official language is English, French and German respectively.

The Litigation Committee

The Litigation Committee should consider and discuss all questions, including inter-state agreements, related to the litigation of European and EP patents and patent applications, as well as representation in Court by European Patent Attorneys and the proposal to separate the Boards of Appeal from the European Patent Office.  After such discussions, the Committee advises the Board and Council as appropriate.  Specifically at the present time the Committee is continuing to study the proposals for the EEUPC (the unified European patents court) system and is maintaining an up-to-date table showing in what manner European Patent Attorneys represent in Court and at the IP Offices throughout Europe.

The Disciplinary Committee

The Disziplinarrat is called in the official translation Disciplinary Committee and/or Commission de Discipline. It is however not an advisory committee of the epi but the first instance judicial organ for the evaluation of possible disciplinary delicts of registered representatives and was installed by the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organizations at October 21st 1977 under the issue "Regulation on discipline for professional representatives". The Chambers of the Disciplinary
Committee decides over any alleged breach of the Rules of Professional Conduct which may be brought to its notice in writing. The members of the Disciplinary Committee are elected and or reelected in their functions by the epi Council for the same term of office as the term of office of the epi Council (no timely restriction in the mandate) . The members enjoy immunity for their activities in the context of the
Disciplinary Chambers which are installed by the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee. Each Chamber trials about 1-3 cases per year.

The Members