Increase in patent filings picks up speed

The number of patents filed around the world rose by 9.2 percent in 2012 compared with figures for 2011. This is the fastest spurt in growth that has been recorded over the past 18 years according to data compiled for the latest World Intellectual Property Indicators report, published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).China accounts for a large proportion of the increase. During the course of the year China’s State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) received more patent applications that any other patent office.

The number of global trademark applications filed grew by six percent in 2012. Here it was Turkey and China that accounted for the steepest rises – 24.1 and 16.5 percent respectively. Certain EU countries, however, such as Italy, Germany and Spain, saw a fall in the number of trademark applications.

Growth in the number of applications for industrial design protection has also been dramatic in recent years, rising by a further 17 percent in 2012, with Russia, China and Turkey leading the way.