Patent applications, nonresidents - Country Ranking - Europe

Definition: Patent applications are worldwide patent applications filed through the Patent Cooperation Treaty procedure or with a national patent office for exclusive rights for an invention--a product or process that provides a new way of doing something or offers a new technical solution to a problem. A patent provides protection for the invention to the owner of the patent for a limited period, generally 20 years.

Source: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity. The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the transformation of these data.

See also: Thematic map, Time series comparison

Find indicator:
Rank Country Value Year
1 Germany 19,845.00 2020
2 United Kingdom 8,659.00 2020
3 Ukraine 1,822.00 2020
4 France 1,542.00 2020
5 Italy 947.00 2020
6 Netherlands 825.00 2020
7 San Marino 709.00 2020
8 Luxembourg 679.00 2020
9 Norway 564.00 2020
10 Sweden 432.00 2020
11 Greece 363.00 2020
12 Switzerland 301.00 2020
13 Belgium 288.00 2020
14 Portugal 263.00 2020
15 Turkey 238.00 2020
16 Denmark 217.00 2020
17 Austria 173.00 2020
18 Spain 124.00 2020
19 Finland 97.00 2020
20 Poland 88.00 2020
21 Belarus 77.00 2020
22 Czech Republic 56.00 2020
23 Ireland 54.00 2020
24 Romania 47.00 2020
25 Montenegro 41.00 2012
26 Hungary 28.00 2020
27 Slovenia 23.00 2018
28 Lithuania 18.00 2020
29 Slovak Republic 15.00 2020
30 Croatia 12.00 2020
31 Moldova 11.00 2020
32 Serbia 8.00 2020
33 Monaco 7.00 2020
33 Bulgaria 7.00 2020
35 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5.00 2020
35 Andorra 5.00 2020
35 Malta 5.00 2020
38 North Macedonia 4.00 2013
39 Iceland 3.00 2020
40 Estonia 2.00 2020
41 Albania 1.00 2019
41 Cyprus 1.00 2020
41 Latvia 1.00 2020

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Development Relevance: The Patent Cooperation Treaty (www.wipo.int/pct) provides a two phase system for filing patent. International applications under the treaty provide for a national patent grant only - there is no international patent. The national filing represents the applicant's seeking of patent protection for a given territory, whereas international filings, while representing a legal right, do not accurately reflect where patent protection is sought. Resident filings are those from residents of the country concerned. Nonresident filings are from applicants abroad. For regional offices applications from residents of any member state of the regional patent convention are considered nonresident filings. Some offices (notably the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office) use the residence of the inventor rather than the applicant to classify filings. Patent data are a great resource for the study of technical change in a country or region. Patent data provide a uniquely detailed source of information on inventive activity and the multiple dimensions of the inventive process (e.g. geographical location, technical and institutional origin, individuals and networks). Furthermore, patent data form a consistent basis for comparisons across time and across countries. Patent data can be used in the analysis of a wide array of topics related to technical change and patenting activity including industry-science linkages, patenting strategies by companies, internationalization of research, and indicators on the value of patents. Patent-based statistics reflect the inventive performance of countries, regions and firms, as well as other aspects of the dynamics of the innovation process such as co-operation in innovation or technology paths.

Limitations and Exceptions: A patent is an exclusive right granted for a specified period (generally 20 years) for a new way of doing something or a new technical solution to a problem - an invention. The invention must be of practical use and display a characteristic unknown in the existing body of knowledge in its field. Most countries have systems to protect patentable inventions. Unless otherwise stated, statistics on the number of resident and non-resident patent applications include those filed via the PCT system as PCT national/regional phase entries.

Statistical Concept and Methodology: Non-resident patent applications are from applicants outside the relevant State or region. Patent data cover applications and grants classified by field of technology. International applications series distinguish four subcategories: a) patents taken out by residents of a country in that country; b) patents taken out in a country by non-residents of that country; c) total patents registered in the country or naming it; d) patents taken out outside a country by its residents. Data on patents granted only distinguish between patents awarded to residents and to non-residents. A patent provides protection for the invention to the owner of the patent for a limited period, generally 20 years. Patent applications are worldwide patent applications filed through the Patent Cooperation Treaty procedure or with a national patent office for exclusive rights for an invention - a product or process that provides a new way of doing something or offers a new technical solution to a problem.

Aggregation method: Sum

Periodicity: Annual