European patent filings in 2011
EUROPEAN PATENT UPDATE
Figures on European patent filings for 2011 to be read as sign of great confidence in Europe as a place for business, says EPO's president.
The European Patent Office has released preliminary figures for European patent filings in 2011. Applications received by EPO in 2011 were 242,642 with a 2.6% increase from 2010, while granted patents were 62,511, 7% more than the previous year.
As for geographical origin, European patent applications in 2011 maintain the same trend of previous years, with the US in the lead with just over 59,000 applications (24% of the total, down from 26% in 2010), followed by Japan and Germany. Non-European countries filed over 60% of the total, with Asia slightly increasing its share of filings thanks mainly to China’s applications, up by 27%, and Japan’s, up by 12%.
EPO’s President Benoit Battistelli said he is pleased to se that R&D investment held up well in 2011 despite the financial crisis, and that continued patent filings growth coupled with the high percentage of non-European applicants are clear evidence of great confidence in Europe as a place for business.
For further information:
View the figures on EPO’s website (.pdf, 52 K)