Patent Index 2024
AI-related inventions and battery technologies surge
Key figures
Robust demand for European patents amid global economic uncertainties
In 2024, the EPO received 199 264 applications (-0.1%). Despite economic challenges, applicants from across the 39 EPO member states filed more patent applications than in the previous year (+0.3%). However, filings from the 27 EU member states fell slightly (-0.4%), as did those from outside Europe (-0.4%). Global demand for European patents remains at a high level, confirming the importance of Europe’s markets for a wide variety of inventions, from healthcare to AI, cleantech and e-mobility.
Top technology fields
Half of the top ten most patent-active fields saw growth. For the second consecutive year, the greatest increase in filings was seen in electrical machinery, apparatus and energy (+8.9%), a field that includes clean energy inventions and battery technologies. The top field of computer technology (+3.3%), which includes areas of AI such as machine learning and pattern recognition, saw significant growth. So too did transport (+3.5%) and biotechnology (+5.4%). Medical technology (-3.0%), digital communication (-6.3%) and pharmaceuticals (-13.2%) declined. The combined number of filings in the top ten technology fields accounted for 57% of all European patent applications in 2024.
Top applicants
Samsung was the new top applicant at the EPO in 2024, having last topped the ranking in 2020. Huawei dropped to second, followed by LG, Qualcomm and RTX. The top ten includes four companies from Europe, two from R. Korea, two from the US, and one from each from P.R. China and Japan. There were nine European companies among the the Top 25, two more than in 2023. 22% of patent applications to the EPO from Europe were filed by individual inventors or SMEs (companies with fewer than 250 employees). Another 7% came from universities and public research organisations.
Geographic origin of applications
Filings from European applicants remained high (+0.3%), achieving a share of the total of 43.3% in 2024. German applicants continue to lead the way, with 12.6% of the total. Significant increases were seen from Ireland (+4.4%), Switzerland (+3.2), UK (+3.1%), Spain (+3.0%) and Finland (2.7%). Overall, the top five countries of origin were the United States (-0.8%), which accounts for almost a quarter of all applications, followed by Germany (+0.4%), Japan (-2.4%), P.R. China (+0.5%) and R. Korea (+4.2%). Switzerland remained the country with the most patent applications per capita.
Key figures summary
Check out the key trends in patenting for 2024.
More statistics for download
Data on the last 10 years and country specific profiles.