Annual Report 2017

Applicants

Related links

Key figures 2017

Infographic 2017

More statistics to download

Loading ...

Top 25

This ranking shows the largest applicants1 at the EPO, indicating their country of origin2.

  • EPO states3
  • US
  • JP
  • CN
  • KR
  • 1.HUAWEI
    2 398
  • 2.SIEMENS
    2 220
  • 3.LG
    2 056
  • 4.SAMSUNG
    2 016
  • 5.QUALCOMM
    1 854
  • 6.ROYAL PHILIPS
    1 733
  • 7.UNITED TECHNOLOGIES
    1 719
  • 8.INTEL
    1 435
  • 9.ROBERT BOSCH
    1 412
  • 10.ERICSSON
    1 373
  • 11.GENERAL ELECTRIC
    1 372
  • 12.BASF
    1 265
  • 13.SONY
    1 219
  • 14.MICROSOFT
    1 159
  • 15.NOKIA
    919
  • 16.BAYER
    880
  • 17.JOHNSON & JOHNSON
    874
  • 18.PROCTER & GAMBLE
    804
  • 19.VALEO
    770
  • 20.DOW CHEMICAL
    734
  • 21.PANASONIC
    728
  • 22.CANON
    708
  • 23.HITACHI
    707
  • 24.PHILIPS LIGHTING
    700
  • 25.ZTE
    679
  • EPO states3
  • US
  • JP
  • CN
  • KR
Source: EPO.
Status: 22.1.2018.
1 This is the ranking of the main consolidated applicants at the EPO in 2017 (first-named applicant principle). It is based on European patent applications filed with the EPO, which include direct European applications and international (PCT) applications that entered the European phase during the reporting period. Applications by identifiable subsidiaries, not necessarily located in the same country, are allocated to the consolidated applicants.
2 The countries refer to the country of residence of the headquarters.
3 EPO states: the 38 member states of the European Patent Organisation, which includes the 28 states of the EU.

Top 50

This ranking shows the largest applicants1 at the EPO (first-named applicant principle). It indicates the total number of European applications filed with the EPO for each and the split between direct European applications (Direct) and international (PCT) applications that entered the European phase (PCT regional) during the reporting period.

  • Direct
  • PCT regional2
  • 1.HUAWEI
    2 398
  • 2.SIEMENS
    2 220
  • 3.LG
    2 056
  • 4.SAMSUNG
    2 016
  • 5.QUALCOMM
    1 854
  • 6.ROYAL PHILIPS
    1 733
  • 7.UNITED TECHNOLOGIES
    1 719
  • 8.INTEL
    1 435
  • 9.ROBERT BOSCH
    1 412
  • 10.ERICSSON
    1 373
  • 11.GENERAL ELECTRIC
    1 372
  • 12.BASF
    1 265
  • 13.SONY
    1 219
  • 14.MICROSOFT
    1 159
  • 15.NOKIA
    919
  • 16.BAYER
    880
  • 17.JOHNSON & JOHNSON
    874
  • 18.PROCTER & GAMBLE
    804
  • 19.VALEO
    770
  • 20.DOW CHEMICAL
    734
  • 21.PANASONIC
    728
  • 22.CANON
    708
  • 23.HITACHI
    707
  • 24.PHILIPS LIGHTING
    700
  • 25.ZTE
    679
  • 26.3M
    675
  • 27.HOFFMANN-LA ROCHE
    643
  • 28.CONTINENTAL
    629
  • 29.HONEYWELL
    619
  • 30.BOEING
    608
  • 31.TOSHIBA
    596
  • 32.MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC
    579
  • 33.CEA3
    544
  • 34.TOYOTA MOTOR
    535
  • 35.GOOGLE
    527
  • 36.MEDTRONIC
    527
  • 37.HP
    519
  • 38.TECHNICOLOR
    509
  • 39.ABB
    508
  • 40.BOE TECHNOLOGY
    500
  • 41.OLYMPUS
    496
  • 42.MERCK KGAA
    488
  • 43.MHI4
    462
  • 44.FRAUNHOFER5
    460
  • 45.NESTLE
    451
  • 46.SABIC
    436
  • 47.FUJITSU
    435
  • 48.UNILEVER
    422
  • 49.VESTEL ELEKTRONIK
    408
  • 50.DSM
    395
  • Direct
  • PCT regional2
Source: EPO.
Status: 22.1.2018.
1 This is the ranking of main consolidated applicants at the EPO in 2017. It is based on European patent applications filed with the EPO, which include direct European applications (Direct) and international (PCT) applications that entered the European phase (PCT regional) during the reporting period. Applications made by subsidiaries are allocated to the consolidated applicants.
2 PCT applications that entered the European phase during the reporting period.
3 Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives.
4 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
5 Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.

Shares in applications 1

A breakdown by category of applicants requesting services from the EPO shows that 69% of them were large companies, 24% were SMEs and individual inventors, and 7% were universities and public research institutes. This shows that a significant proportion of applicants at the EPO are smaller entities.

Shares in applications
2017 2016
Large enterprises 69% 66%
SMEs², individual inventors 24% 28%
Universities and public research 7% 6%
Source: EPO.
Status: 22.1.2018.
1 The evaluation is based on a representative sample of patent applications treated by the EPO in 2016.
2 It refers to the European Commission definition of SMEs (2003/361/EC).
Data available in government and commercial databases as well as on company internet sites are analysed to allocate the applicant to one of the four categories. Depending on the company policy, the cross-ownership criteria can be difficult to evaluate. To ensure that the results remain statistically significant, no analysis per country or industrial sector is provided.

Quick Navigation