The European patent office, as many applications were received in 2018 like never before. Of the Chinese, who no longer want to be the factory of the world, only very few applications. The first glance may fool you but.
The number of patents registered at the European patent office (EPO) has not increased in the last year, there were so many as never before: over 174,000. 4.6 percent more than in the previous year. Almost half of the companies that want to allow their inventions, came from Europe, of which around 15 per cent from Germany. Thus, the Federal Republic of Germany lies in second place behind the USA (25 percent), followed by France, Japan and China.
The Numbers show: “There will be more research,” said Oliver Koppel from the Institute of the German economy in Cologne. “In Germany, we have seen in the last ten years, a large increase in research intensity.” But also in the EU will be more invested in research and development (R&d). Moreover, the addition of but patented more, because the companies are increasingly international, on-the-go, explains coupling to the DW.
Meaning of the European patent office
Who wants to be an invention to protect, you have the choice between many different patent offices. Where a company applies, depends on which markets it is active want to be and how high the cost of the Patent. In General, it is cheaper to make inventions for the national authorities to protect, a spokesman for the EPA. But then the protection is only on the relevant market is limited.
The quality requirements of the European patent office are significantly higher than in the USA or China
Most of the inventions are filed at the national Agencies in the USA and in China – due to the size of the local markets. If you want to register a Patent in Europe, must meet more stringent criteria than in the case of a registration in the U.S. or China. And that usually means higher costs. Thus, the many patents applications to the EPO, inventors and companies view Europe as an attractive and important technology market, according to EPO President António Campinos.
In addition, international companies that are active in many markets, also need to protect in many markets. If a company has already obtained a Patent in Europe and then the USA or China would like to transfer, and then operating the because of the high quality requirements in Europe in General, good, says innovation researcher coupling. In the reverse direction, however, is anything but simple.
In order to keep the competitive edge, innovations are necessary. Who would not want the other to skim the cream, you must protect yourself with patents
Still insignificant, but China is catching up
Overall, Europe and the USA for almost three-quarters of all patents filed responsible. China, however, with only five percent in the case of European patent applications is not a big role.
“In some areas, China’s border is certainly already on the global Technology and promotes these through its own developments”, economic researchers, Oliver Falk from the Ifo-Institute in Munich. “Essentially, China is growing but still catching-up and Imitation.”
Also, the IW researchers whose coupling provides the Figures from China as a “sign for the significantly lower results of the research”. Millions of new applications from local businesses were received by the Chinese patent office each year, is at the lower quality requirements, but also easier than in Europe.
In the future, is expected to come from the Chinese, probably more. Last year, the number of China filed patents at the EPO was increased compared with the previous year by nearly nine percent. Especially in computer technology, electrical machines, and audio-visual technology, China reports according to the EPA, a number of patents.
To not recognize same-at first glance, is also: in Germany Alone, around 100 well-known patent applicant to be in Chinese Hand, as a coupling, for example, the Augsburg-based robot manufacturer Kuka. The patents were registered with the EPA as a German application, not as a Chinese.
The Chinese company Midea swallowed in 2016, Kuka, one of the technologically leading manufacturer of robots for the industry
“And I think the strategy of the Chinese, German technology to buy, in order to get their patents, will increase in the future even more,” says Koppel. In the meantime, however, the Federal government is also sensitive and not want to make it to the Chinese so easy to buy German high-technology companies.
Siemens ousted Huawei from square one
The competition from China in the last year, the German technology group Siemens has been able to depend on. Because when it comes to which company has filed the most patents in Europe, Siemens is again – for the first Time since 2011. With your 2493 reported inventions, the Munich landed just in front of the Chinese telecommunications group Huawei and the South Korean electronics group Samsung. The next German companies, the automotive supplier Bosch, is found only on the tenth place.
The most research-intensive Region of Bavaria, the native region of Siemens. More innovations come from the French Region around Paris, the Île-de-France. Among the Top Ten regions, six German Federal States, including the home of Bosch, Baden-Württemberg.
The cars thank you
Germany is the Land of cars and machines. Accordingly, many patents in this area were logged. With more than 9000 patent applications in the area of transport, landed on place five of the sign’s strongest areas. Inventions in connection with electric cars jumped 71 percent year-on-year. In addition, there were also more German applications in computer technology (particularly in the area of “Digital data transmission”), and biotechnology.
Overall, the majority of patents were registered, but in the area of medical technology and digital communication, and computer technology.
Many inventions have been registered in the area of medical technology at the European patent office.
As beautiful as the sounds of 174,000 patent applications, not every application leads to a Patent. The approximately 7,000 employees of the authority shall examine whether the invention is actually new. In the end, there were 2018, around 128,000 patents.
Behind the European patent office with seat in Munich, a private, of the European Union, an independent organization. This will have connected almost all the States of the continent. Only Russia, Belarus and the Ukraine have settled their patent protection independent.