EPO Sees Highest Patent Filings Ever; Chinese Applications Still Rising

The European Patent Office published its 2016 annual report today, showing an “unprecedented level of patent filings,” and underlining the growing number of patent applications from China. The top technical fields for applications included medical technology, digital communication, and pharmaceuticals.

According to its 2016 annual report, the EPO granted approximately 95,900 patents in 2016, which represents an increase of 40 percent over 2015, “and the highest ever number,” which is due to the office’s improved productivity, according to a press release.

According to the release, the EPO also “recorded an unprecedented level of patent filings in 2016, reaching over 296,000,” some 6.2 percent more than in 2016. Filings are a preliminary patent application activity indicating the potential interest of innovating businesses, according to the EPO.

The EPO received nearly 160 000 European patent applications in 2016, it said, “nearly at the same level as the record number reached the year before.”

According to the 2016 report, almost half of all European patent applications came from the EPO member states, followed by the United States, Japan, China, and South Korea. Europe’s “growth champions” were Belgium and Italy, while Germany remains Europe’s biggest patent applicant. Meanwhile, applications from China grew 24.8 percent and exceeded applications from South Korea for the first time, the press release said.

The top 10 patent applicants are Philips, Huawei, Samsung, LG, United Technologies, Siemens, Qualcomm, General Electric, BASF, and Robert Bosch.

The top 10 technical fields for patent applications are: medical technology; digital communication; computer technology; electrical machinery, apparatus, energy; transport;  measurement, engines, pumps and turbines; organic fine chemistry; pharmaceuticals; and biotechnology.