Patent applications to the EPO by priority year in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Patent applications to the EPO by priority year was 5,437 in 2017. β–² Rising

Latest (2017)
5,437
Change on year
down 1.9%
World rank
6th
of 47 countries
All-time high
6,083
in 2000
All-time low
1,661
in 1979
Years of data
39
1979–2017

Patent applications to the EPO by priority year in United Kingdom, 1979–2017

2.0k3.0k4.0k5.0k6.0k1979199820171979: 1.7k1980: 2.1k1981: 2.4k1982: 2.6k1983: 2.9k1984: 2.9k1985: 3.2k1986: 3.5k1987: 3.5k1988: 4.0k1989: 3.9k1990: 3.6k1991: 3.5k1992: 3.4k1993: 3.5k1994: 3.7k1995: 3.8k1996: 4.2k1997: 4.6k1998: 5.2k1999: 5.8k2000: 6.1k2001: 5.7k2002: 5.6k2003: 5.7k2004: 5.6k2005: 5.7k2006: 5.8k2007: 5.6k2008: 5.4k2009: 5.4k2010: 5.4k2011: 5.4k2012: 5.4k2013: 5.4k2014: 5.4k2015: 5.7k2016: 5.5k2017: 5.4k

Source: Eurostat.

Analysis

In 2017, patent applications to the epo by priority year in United Kingdom stood at 5,437.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 3.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, patent applications to the epo by priority year in United Kingdom peaked at 6,083 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 1,661, in 1979.

That places United Kingdom 6th out of 47 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 39 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 1,661 1,661 1,661 1
1980s 3,103 2,071 4,006 10
1990s 4,122 3,429 5,796 10
2000s 5,666 5,391 6,083 10
2010s 5,449 5,353 5,692 8

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 3 Germany 18,882 compare
  2. 4 France 9,503 compare
  3. 5 Korea 6,423 compare
  4. 7 Italy 4,148 compare
  5. 8 Netherlands 3,478 compare
  6. 9 Switzerland 3,245 compare

See the full ranking of 54 places β†’

More science & technology data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom β†’

Frequently asked questions

What is patent applications to the epo by priority year in United Kingdom?
Patent applications to the epo by priority year in United Kingdom was 5,437 in 2017, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest patent applications to the epo by priority year recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 6,083 in 2000.
What is the lowest patent applications to the epo by priority year recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 1,661 in 1979.
How does United Kingdom rank for patent applications to the epo by priority year?
United Kingdom ranks 6th out of 47 countries with data for 2017.
Is patent applications to the epo by priority year rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is down 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom 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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Patent applications to the EPO by priority year in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 19 August 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/patent-applications-to-the-epo-by-priority-year-1977-2017/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Patent applications to the EPO by priority year (1977-2017)
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
54 places, 1,866 data points, 1978–2017
Last refreshed