30/06/2022 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday 29 June in Munich, the Administrative Council of the European Patent Office (EPO) reappointed the Portuguese post holder António Campinos as President of the organisation for a five-year term starting on 1 July 2023. Campinos has introduced extensive digital reform during his term of office, with staff moving rapidly to large-scale remote working from March 2020, the start of the pandemic. Strong productivity gains have been achieved under his tenure, according to the statement. However, members of the EPO’s trade union, SUEPO, demonstrated the same day in Munich to protest against his action “to protect Mr Battistelli’s legacy”, according to the specialist media Kluwer Patent Blog. Campinos had been appointed president on 1 July 2018 succeeding Benoît Battistelli, whose personnel management was highly controversial (see EUROPE 12261/17). (PH)