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European patent applications hit record high in 2023
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(Reuters) – The European Patent Office (EPA) received a record number of patent applications last year, with the biggest share of fillings coming from the United States, Germany, Japan and China, the office’s register showed on Tuesday.
(Reuters) – The European Patent Office (EPA) received a record number of patent applications last year, with the biggest share of fillings coming from the United States, Germany, Japan and China, the office’s register showed on Tuesday.
The office said it received 199,275 applications in 2023, 2.9% more than a year ago.
China’s Huawei filled the largest number of applications for the third year in a row, followed by Samsung, LG, Qualcomm, Ericsson, and Siemens.
Patent applications are seen as an early indication of how much firms have been spending on research and development.
“This underlines both the attractiveness of the European technology market and the high quality of our products and services,” EPA President Antonio Campinos said in a statement.
Applications from small and medium-sized enterprises have reached the highest level to date, he added.
(Reporting by Christian Kraemer, writing by Andrey Sychev, editing by Rachel More)
A patent is a legal right granted to an inventor or assignee, giving them exclusive rights to make, use, or sell an invention for a certain period of time.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are businesses whose personnel numbers fall below certain limits. They are crucial for economic growth and innovation.
Patent applications are important as they indicate the level of innovation and investment in research and development by companies, reflecting their commitment to technological advancement.
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