epi Council meeting C99 took place on 10 May 2025 in Vilnius (LT).
Highlights of the meeting include the following.
- A motion presented by Mr Christoph Schober (DE) was adopted, calling upon the EPO and the EPOrg Administrative Council to suspend the inclusion of legal practitioners on the representative list (available on the EPO website).
- Council decided to set up a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, the work of which will start after members have been elected at the 2025 Autumn Council meeting.
- Council adopted an amendment to Article 5(d) and the addition of a new Article 4(h) of the Code of Conduct.
- Council adopted the 2024 Annual Report.
- Council approved the 2024 accounts and released the Treasurer from liability.
- Council agreed that the Unitary Patent Guidelines should also be published in pdf format, and that the EPC Guidelines, PCT-EPO Guidelines and Unitary Patent Guidelines shall continue to be published in pdf format in 2026 and thereafter. Council accordingly unanimously requested that the EPO continue to publish these Guidelines also in pdf format (in addition to html format).
- Council adopted amendments to the rules for Committees elections (CoD Rule 3.3.4).
- Council elected members in the following Committees having vacancies: Biotechnology Committee, epi-Finances Committee, European Patent Practice Committee, Professional Education Committee. Council also elected the members of the Electoral Committee.
As usual a detailed report on the Council meeting will be available in the next issue of epi Information.
Prepared by Marc Névant
On behalf of the Editorial Committee
