http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2017/20171011.html
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11 October 2017
The Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation has elected António Campinos to succeed Benoît Battistelli as President of the European Patent Office (EPO). His five-year term will start on 1 July 2018.
A
Portuguese national, Mr Campinos is currently Executive Director of the
European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). He is also a former
President of the Portuguese Institute of Industrial Property (INPI). In that function, he
served as the Portuguese representative on the Administrative Council of the
European Patent Organisation for several years.
Speaking
after the Administrative Council session, current President of the EPO Benoît
Battistelli said: ‘I’d like to congratulate António Campinos warmly on
his election. It is a victory of competence and impressive experience in IP.
It’s also a victory for Europe in its diversity. It is the first time that a
national from the South of Europe is appointed as the head of the EPO. This
decisive outcome shows how the European Patent Organisation has matured in
terms of implementing strong governance and providing leadership in decision
making that will serve European innovation.’
The
Administrative Council, made up of the delegations from all member states, is
the Organisation’s legislative body. It is responsible for supervising the
activities of the Office, approving the budget and appointing the President of
the EPO.
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