Patent applications to the EPO by priority year in European Union - 27 countries (from 2020)
European Union - 27 countries (from 2020): Patent applications to the EPO by priority year was 49,212 Number in 2017. ▲ Rising
Latest (2017)
49,212 Number
Change on year
down 2.4%
Rank
3rd
of 6 regions
All-time high
52,947 Number
in 2007
All-time low
9,187 Number
in 1979
Years of data
39
1979–2017
Patent applications to the EPO by priority year in European Union - 27 countries (from 2020), 1979–2017
Source: Eurostat. Measured in Number.
Analysis
In 2017, patent applications to the epo by priority year in European Union - 27 countries (from 2020) stood at 49,212 Number.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.4% on the previous year and down 7.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, patent applications to the epo by priority year in European Union - 27 countries (from 2020) peaked at 52,947 Number in 2007 and was at its lowest, 9,187 Number, in 1979.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 39 years of available data.
Patent applications to the EPO by priority year in European Union - 27 countries (from 2020), year by year
| Year | Number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 9,187 Number | — |
| 1980 | 11,332 Number | +23.4% |
| 1981 | 12,698 Number | +12.0% |
| 1982 | 13,415 Number | +5.6% |
| 1983 | 15,276 Number | +13.9% |
| 1984 | 16,736 Number | +9.6% |
| 1985 | 18,272 Number | +9.2% |
| 1986 | 19,142 Number | +4.8% |
| 1987 | 21,737 Number | +13.6% |
| 1988 | 23,456 Number | +7.9% |
| 1989 | 24,430 Number | +4.2% |
| 1990 | 23,401 Number | -4.2% |
| 1991 | 23,380 Number | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 23,506 Number | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 24,498 Number | +4.2% |
| 1994 | 25,948 Number | +5.9% |
| 1995 | 27,337 Number | +5.4% |
| 1996 | 31,996 Number | +17.0% |
| 1997 | 36,234 Number | +13.2% |
| 1998 | 39,695 Number | +9.6% |
| 1999 | 43,256 Number | +9.0% |
| 2000 | 45,674 Number | +5.6% |
| 2001 | 45,760 Number | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 45,897 Number | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 47,306 Number | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 49,855 Number | +5.4% |
| 2005 | 51,537 Number | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 52,600 Number | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 52,947 Number | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 51,658 Number | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 51,367 Number | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 51,416 Number | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 52,011 Number | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 51,383 Number | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 51,388 Number | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 51,378 Number | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 51,545 Number | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 50,441 Number | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 49,212 Number | -2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9,187 Number | 9,187 Number | 9,187 Number | 1 |
| 1980s | 17,649 Number | 11,332 Number | 24,430 Number | 10 |
| 1990s | 29,925 Number | 23,380 Number | 43,256 Number | 10 |
| 2000s | 49,460 Number | 45,674 Number | 52,947 Number | 10 |
| 2010s | 51,097 Number | 49,212 Number | 52,011 Number | 8 |
Countries ranked near European Union - 27 countries (from 2020)
- 1 United States of America 36,903 Number compare
- 1 United States 36,903 Number compare
- 3 Japan 21,380 Number compare
- 4 Germany 18,882 Number compare
- 5 France 9,503 Number compare
- 6 Republic of Korea 6,423 Number compare
- 6 South Korea 6,423 Number compare
More science & technology data for European Union - 27 countries (from 2020)
- Human resources in science and technology (HRST) by category and NUTS 128,217 Thousand persons (2025)
- Human resources in science and technology (HRST) by category, NUTS 1 128,217 Thousand persons (2025)
- Human resources in science and technology (HRST) by category, NUTS 1 128,217 Thousand persons (2025)
- R&D personnel and researchers by sector of performance, sex and NUTS 3.39 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) (2024)
- GERD by sector of performance and fields of R&D 403,270 Million euro (2024)
- GERD by sector of performance and type of R&D 403,270 Million euro (2024)
- Electricity production capacities for combustible fuels by technology 128,641 Megawatt (2024)
- R&D personnel by sector of performance, professional position and sex 3.39 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) (2024)
- R&D personnel and researchers by sector of performance, fields of R&D 3.39 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) (2024)
- Human resources in science and technology (HRST) by category, sex and 128,217 Thousand persons (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is patent applications to the epo by priority year in European Union - 27 countries (from 2020)?
- Patent applications to the epo by priority year in European Union - 27 countries (from 2020) was 49,212 Number in 2017, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest patent applications to the epo by priority year recorded in European Union - 27 countries (from 2020)?
- The highest recorded value was 52,947 Number in 2007.
- What is the lowest patent applications to the epo by priority year recorded in European Union - 27 countries (from 2020)?
- The lowest recorded value was 9,187 Number in 1979.
- How does European Union - 27 countries (from 2020) rank for patent applications to the epo by priority year?
- European Union - 27 countries (from 2020) ranks 3rd out of 6 regions with data for 2017.
- Is patent applications to the epo by priority year rising or falling in European Union - 27 countries (from 2020)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this European Union - 27 countries (from 2020) data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Patent applications to the EPO by priority year (1977-2017). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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