All-time-high for European patent applications

More patent applications than ever – 265,000 – were filed with the European Patent Office (EPO) last year. This is a 2.8 per cent increase on 2012, according to preliminary statistics from the EPO. The number of patent applications has now been rising for four consecutive years. The EPO granted 66,700 patents in 2013, which is 1.7 per cent more than in the preceding year.

The highest number of applications came from the US (64,800 or 24.5 per cent), followed by Japan (52,300 or 19.7 per cent). The highest number of applications from a European country came from Germany (12,000 or 12.1 per cent).

More detailed statistics from the EPO will be presented in March.