According to preliminary EPO results, there were 258,000 filings in 2012, representing an increase of 5.7 per cent on 2011 figures. There were also 65,700 patents granted, a 5.8 per cent jump from 2011.
Attractive market
‘This new peak in European patent filings for the third year in a row shows that companies from Europe and around the world are continuing to seek protection for their inventions, and that Europe remains an attractive market for new technologies,’ said EPO President Benoît Battistelli. ‘This growth is part of a consistent, long-term trend, and is clear evidence of the confidence of industry in the value of European patents.’
Top filers
A clear majority of the filings came from non-European countries (63 per cent), while the share from the 38 EPO member states was 37 per cent.
The top five positions in 2012 fell to the same countries as 2011 -- the US held onto the top spot with almost 25 per cent of all filings, Japan had 20 per cent, Germany 13.4 per cent, China 7.3 per cent and Korea 5.5 per cent.
Email your news and story ideas to: [email protected]
