2019 : Digital technologies on the rise
Sustained growth in patent filings at the EPO reflects the digital transformation of the economy and Europe's position as a key market for the development of new technologies.
Insights 2019
Key figures
Demand for European patents continues to grow
In 2019, the EPO received over 181 000 applications, 4% more than in 2018 and a new all-time high. Growth was mainly fuelled by the strong increase in filing volumes from China, the US and South Korea, with patent applications from the EPO countries also growing. This confirms that the European market remains key to the global economy’s ongoing digital transformation.
See more detailsTop applicants
The company ranking also reflects the growing importance of digital technologies. Huawei topped the table, ahead of Samsung, LG, United Technologies and Siemens. The top 10 is made up of four companies from Europe, four from Asia and two from the US. A breakdown of applications originating from European countries shows that a significant proportion of applicants at the EPO are smaller entities.
See more detailsTop technology fields
Digital communication saw by far the strongest growth in patent applications, overtaking medical technology for the first time in over a decade. This reflected the pace of development surrounding 5G technologies. The second fastest-growing field was computer technology, fuelled by the rise of artificial intelligence. In 2019, the top ten fields represented 54% of the total number of European applications filed.
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Geographic origin of applications
In total, nearly half of all patent applications came from companies based in Europe, with Germany alone accounting for some 15%. Among European countries with large volumes, the greatest increases in filings came from Sweden (+8%), the UK (+6,9%) and Switzerland (+3,6%). From the other regions, US firms dominated with a quarter of all applications, followed by companies from Japan, China and South Korea.
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More statistics for download
Data on the last 10 years and country specific profiles.
EPO at a glance
As the Patent Office for Europe, we support innovation, competitiveness and economic growth across Europe through a commitment to high quality and efficient services delivered under the European Patent Convention.
