Annual Report 2018

Applicants

Related links

Key figures summary
Key figures video
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.SIEMENS
    2 493
  • 2.HUAWEI
    2 485
  • 3.SAMSUNG
    2 449
  • 4.LG
    2 376
  • 5.UNITED TECHNOLOGIES
    1 983
  • 6.ROYAL PHILIPS
    1 617
  • 7.QUALCOMM
    1 593
  • 8.ERICSSON
    1 472
  • 9.GENERAL ELECTRIC
    1 307
  • 10.ROBERT BOSCH
    1 286
  • 11.SONY
    1 278
  • 12.BASF
    1 256
  • 13.INTEL
    1 057
  • 14.JOHNSON & JOHNSON
    982
  • 15.MICROSOFT
    975
  • 16.CANON
    816
  • 17.PANASONIC
    815
  • 18.VALEO
    784
  • 19.ALPHABET
    779
  • 20.NOKIA
    738
  • 21.CONTINENTAL
    691
  • 22.HITACHI
    658
  • 23.MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC
    655
  • 24.HOFFMANN-LA ROCHE
    651
  • 25.3M
    635
  • 25.HONEYWELL
    635
  • EPO states3
  • US
  • JP
  • CN
  • KR
Source: EPO.
Status: 21.1.2019.
1 This is the ranking of the main consolidated applicants at the EPO in 2018 (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.
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.SIEMENS
    2 493
  • 2.HUAWEI
    2 485
  • 3.SAMSUNG
    2 449
  • 4.LG
    2 376
  • 5.UNITED TECHNOLOGIES
    1 983
  • 6.ROYAL PHILIPS
    1 617
  • 7.QUALCOMM
    1 593
  • 8.ERICSSON
    1 472
  • 9.GENERAL ELECTRIC
    1 307
  • 10.ROBERT BOSCH
    1 286
  • 11.SONY
    1 278
  • 12.BASF
    1 256
  • 13.INTEL
    1 057
  • 14.JOHNSON & JOHNSON
    982
  • 15.MICROSOFT
    975
  • 16.CANON
    816
  • 17.PANASONIC
    815
  • 18.VALEO
    784
  • 19.ALPHABET
    779
  • 20.NOKIA
    738
  • 21.CONTINENTAL
    691
  • 22.HITACHI
    658
  • 23.MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC
    655
  • 24.HOFFMANN-LA ROCHE
    651
  • 25.3M
    635
  • 25.HONEYWELL
    635
  • 27.HP
    626
  • 28.DOW CHEMICAL
    623
  • 29.TOYOTA MOTOR
    608
  • 30.CEA3
    597
  • 31.BOEING
    596
  • 32.MEDTRONIC
    593
  • 33.PROCTER & GAMBLE
    580
  • 34.PHILIPS LIGHTING
    573
  • 35.ABB
    571
  • 36.BAYER
    559
  • 37.SABIC
    557
  • 38.TOSHIBA
    545
  • 39.OPPO4
    523
  • 40.MITSUBISHI HEAVY IND5
    512
  • 41.AIRBUS
    509
  • 42.UNILEVER
    502
  • 43.DSM
    500
  • 44.FRAUNHOFER6
    468
  • 45.PHILIP MORRIS
    457
  • 46.MERCK KGAA
    432
  • 47.SAFRAN
    423
  • 48.BOE TECHNOLOGY
    419
  • 49.NESTLE
    382
  • 50.APPLE
    375
  • Direct
  • PCT regional2
Source: EPO.
Status: 21.1.2019.
1 This is the ranking of the main consolidated applicants at the EPO in 2018 (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 PCT applications that entered the European phase during the reporting period.
3 Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives.
4 Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications.
5 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
6 Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.

Shares in applications originating from Europe 1

A breakdown of applications originating from European countries shows that 71% of them were filed by large companies, 20% by SMEs and individual inventors, and 9% by universities and public research organisations. This shows that a significant proportion of applicants at the EPO are smaller entities.

Shares in applications
2018
Large enterprises 71%
SMEs2, individual inventors 20%
Universities and public research organisations3 9%
Source: EPO.
1 This breakdown is based on a large representative sample of patent applications filed with the EPO in 2018 by applicants located in member states of the European Patent Organisation.
2 SMEs have been identified based on the European Commission definition of SMEs (2003/361/EC).
According to this definition, an SME is i) an independent company with ii) less than 250 staff and iii) a turnover below €50 million and/or a balance sheet below €43 million.
Detailed financial data and company ownership data from the BvD Orbis database have been used to enable a strict application of this definition.
3 This category includes technology transfer offices that while registered as corporate entities are clearly affiliated to a university or public research organisation.

Quick Navigation