EPO 出願傾向と予算

（追加）
2009年1-2月の新規出願数は7％減（前年同月比？）で、ここ10年で初めての減少とのことです。(LINK)
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EPOにおける2008年出願動向資料がEPOウェブサイト上で公開されています。(LINK)
気になるのはEPOの予算状況です。景気後退の影響で庁の予算が減ると、その影響は回りまわって出願人に跳ね返ってきます。
Alison長官はEPOは商標を扱っていないので他の特許庁に比べて景気後退の影響を受けにくいし過去の景気後退も乗り切ってきたので大丈夫と言っているようですがどうなのでしょうか？
(LINK: 無料トライアル登録必要)
Speaking today at the European Patent Forum in Prague, EPO President Alison Brimelow stated that to descibe current application trends at the office as "bumpy" would be to use traditional British understatement.

＜中略＞

I asked her whether the EPO had any plans to revise its budget and/or cut back on spending - something that has happened in a number of other registries over the last few months as applications have fallen. Her answer was no. Financially, the office actually performed better in the first quarter of 2009 than had been forecast (although the figures are still negative). This was as a consequence of improved production among examiners and tight cost control, Brimelow explained. She also observed that unlike most national registries the EPO does not handle trademark applications, which are much more volatile than those for patents. "We have ridden out other recessions and we are in this for the long-term," she said. "We take a prudent approach to managing the EPO and that is how we are hoping to see ourselves through these uncertain times."