Archive:Intellectual property rights statistics
Source: Eurostat (ipr_ta_tot)
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Source: Eurostat (ipr_ta_tot) (ipr_ta_gdp) (ipr_ta_pop)
Source: Eurostat (ipr_tc_sng) (ipr_tc_eu) (ipr_tc_neu) (ipr_tc_euneu)
Source: Eurostat (ipr_ta_reg)
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Source: Eurostat (ipr_dfa_tot)
Source: Eurostat (ipr_dc_sng) (ipr_dc_eu) (ipr_dc_neu) (ipr_dc_euneu)
Source: Eurostat (ipr_dfa_reg)
- Data extracted in October 2015. Most recent data: Further Eurostat information, Main tables and Database
This article presents statistics on two types of intellectual property rights (IPR), European Union trademarks (EUTMs) and design applications (CDs) in the European Union (EU). The statistics are published by Eurostat and are based on raw data received from the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), the EU agency responsible for registering European Union trademarks and designs.
Intellectual property broadly includes everything created by the human mind. Common types of intellectual property rights include patents, trademarks, industrial designs and copyrights. They constitute means by which creators seek protection for their intellectual property. Trademarks and designs reflect non-technological innovation in every sector of economic life, including services. In this context, indicators based on trademark and design data can provide a link between non-technological innovation and the market. R&D and patents are mainly related to the measurement of technological innovation and scientific expertise.
Main statistical findings
European Union trade mark (EUTM) applications
In 2013, EUIPO received 80 200 EUTM applications for trademark protection from EU-28 Member States, while during 2014, EUIPO received 82 627 EUTM applications originating from EU-28 Member States. In 2010-14, the total number of EUTM applications increased both in the EU-28 and worldwide (see Figure 1), after a small decrease between 2008 and 2009.
The European Union trademark protection activity of Germany and United Kingdom was in 2014 similar to 2013. In 2014, Germany and the United Kingdom had the highest number of EUTM applications out of all the EU-28 Member States (see Table 1). The number of EUTM applications from these two countries accounted for almost 37 % of total applications received by EUIPO from EU-28 Member States in 2014. Based on the number of trademark applications made in 1996-2014, the leading European countries in terms of EUTM protection are Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The highest number of EUTM applications made to EUIPO from outside Europe came from the United States and China (excl. Hong Kong). In 1996-2014, the United States had the highest average number of EUTM applications per year out of all non-European countries (12 073). In 2014, EUIPO received 14 363 applications from the United States for trademark protection in the EU.
The use of relative terms makes it possible to compare EUTM application figures expressed as a ratio to gross domestic product (GDP) and population (see Table 1). Figures expressed as a ratio to GDP or population lead to different conclusions than those based only on total numbers. The relative figures for 1996-2014 were calculated as the ratios of the average number of EUTM applications in relation to the average GDP or average population. Figures per unit of GDP based on average values of 1996-2014, lead to similar conclusions as those based on 1996-2013 averages and show that countries with small economies in terms of absolute GDP values, like Liechtenstein (LI), Luxembourg (LU), Malta (MT) and Cyprus (CY), have the highest numbers of applications for protecting European Union trademarks when EUTM applications per unit of GDP are taken into account. According to the relative figures, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Malta have the highest number of EUTM applications per million inhabitants.
These high figures in certain countries were the reason for further investigation into IPR protection in the EU. The subsequent analysis showed that certain countries provide an attractive corporate taxation environment for protecting intellectual property. It also showed that the tax systems of countries like Cyprus, Malta, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg are beneficial for IPR protection. The review of available literature verifies the fact that corporations benefit from the fiscal policies of certain countries with low corporate tax rates, including from tax exemptions for IPR protection. It is possible to benefit from the tax policies of foreign countries because intellectual property does not have a clear geographical location.
An extensive analysis of the role of tax systems in the protection of intellectual property rights for corporations is available in the paper entitled “Community Trade mark & Design Applications, High figures for particular countries per GDP and Population - The role of provided motivations on IPR protection”.
The number of EUTM applications that EUIPO received from within the EU increased by 3 % between 2013 and 2014. Eight countries increased their total number of EUTM applications by over 20 % in 2014. They include five EU-28 Member States, one European Free Trade Association (EFTA) country and two non EU-28 countries. The countries with the highest annual growth rate in EUTM applications between 2013 and 2014 are Bulgaria (45 %), Latvia (36 %), India (35 %), Slovenia (28 %), China (excl. Hong Kong) (28 %), Romania (27 %), Iceland (26 %) and Slovakia (20 %) (see Figure 2). The countries with the most significant decrease in the total number of EUTM applications made to EUIPO between 2013 and 2014 are Norway (14 %), Brazil (15 %) and Liechtenstein (25 %).
An analysis of co-ownership in European Union trademark applications shows that on average 97 % of EUTM applications annually received by EUIPO belong to a single owner (see Figure 3). Cooperation between EU owners is very limited and, on average, accounts for 2.5 % of EUTM applications received by EUIPO between 1996 and 2014.
European Union trademark protection activity is concentrated mainly in the capital regions of EU-28 Member States. In 2014, 6 out of the 10 EU regions with the highest number of EUTM applications to EUIPO were capital regions (see Figure 4). The total number of EUTM applications that were submitted to EUIPO during 2014 by the top ten EU regions accounted for 17 % of total EUTM applications that were filed to EUIPO during 2014 by EU-28 Member States. The capital region of France, Paris, filed to EUIPO during 2014, the highest number of EUTM applications among all EU-28 regions. EUTM applications originating from Paris represented 2.5 % of total EUTM applications filed to EUIPO by EU-28 Member States. Three of the top ten regions in the EU with the highest number of EUTM applications in 2014 were from Germany. Stockholm is the region of EU-28 with the highest increase (53 %) in the total number of EUTM applications between 2009 and 2014. The total number of EUTM applications originating from Berlin in 2014 was 51.8 % higher than the total number of EUTM applications that were filed to EUIPO by the German capital during 2009. Among the top ten EU regions in EUTM protection activity the lowest increase in the total number of EUTM applications filed to EUIPO between 2009 and 2014 occurred in Paris (12.3 %).
It should be noted that some EU Member States have a relatively small population and are therefore not divided into more than one NUTS level 2 and 3 region. Thus, for these Member States, data presented for NUTS level 3 regions are identical to national data. According to the 2013 version of the NUTS classification, this applies to two EU-28 Member States: Cyprus and Luxembourg. For more information about the NUTS classification, please refer to the dedicated NUTS section on the Eurostat website NUTS - NOMENCLATURE OF TERRITORIAL UNITS FOR STATISTICS.
Community design (CD) filed in applications
The total number of Community designs (see definition under "Context") submitted by EU-28 applicants to EUIPO during 2014 was 60 840. The total number of Community designs increased steadily over 2003-07 both in the EU-28 and worldwide (see Figure 5) and in 2008 decreased slightly compared with 2007. In 2009, the total number of designs decreased further both in the EU-28 and worldwide, but started to increase again in 2010. In 2014, the total number of Community designs worldwide reached its highest level since 2003. In the EU-28, design protection was strengthened from 2009 onwards, more so than at worldwide level, with Design protection reaching and overtaking during 2013 & 2014 the levels of 2007.
In 2014 as in 2013, Germany had the highest number of design protection filings in the EU-28 (18 848; see Table 2), followed by Italy (8 880). The data of 2014 indicate that Germany and Italy are the dominant EU-28 Member States in Community Design protection. The total number of designs originating from these two countries accounts for 46 % of total designs received by EUIPO in 2014 from EU-28 Member States. The highest average number of design protection filings in the EU in 2003-14 came from Germany (16 646), Italy (9 361), France (5 814), the United Kingdom (4 679) and Spain (3 766). The United States (8 042), China (excl. Hong Kong) (4 230) and Japan (2 624) had the highest numbers of Community designs from outside the EU in 2014. Of these, the United States had the highest average number, 5 928 in 2003-14.
Figures on community designs can also be expressed as a ratio to gross domestic product (GDP) and population (see Table 2). As was the case for EUTM applications, these figures lead to different conclusions than those calculated only based on totals. For 2003-14, the relative figures were calculated as the ratio of the average number of designs to the average GDP or population. When we look at design protection in Europe in relation to the size of the economy, the conclusions are similar to those drawn for trademarks. Lichtenstein has the highest ratio of designs per billion euros GDP out of all of 49 countries (28-EU Member States, 4-EFTA Member States, 1 candidate country for EU membership and 16 non-EU countries) . However, the countries with the highest number of design protection per billion euros GDP are different from those for EUTM applications, with the exception of Luxembourg and Liechtenstein. The others are Germany, Austria, Italy, Denmark and Switzerland. These countries’ performance is also best when the total number of designs is expressed per million inhabitants.
In the EU, the number of designs received by EUIPO increased by 1 % between 2013 and 2014 (see Figure 6). At worldwide level there was no major change in the total number of designs filed in applications between 2013 and 2014.
At national level, the number of Community designs increased for 28 out of 49 countries (57 % of all countries) between 2013 and 2014. For Latvia and Mexico the total number of designs submitted in 2014 increased by 204 % and 100 % respectively compared with 2013. However, Latvia and Mexico do not own a high number of designs but are relatively small when compared with other countries. Germany is one of the European countries with the highest number of designs, on which protection is requested, with its total number of designs filed in applications with EUIPO having increased by 4 % in 2014 compared to 2013. The total number of Community designs on which protection is requested decreased between 2013 and 2014 for nine EU-28 Member States. In the EU-28, the most significant decrease in the total number of Community design filed applications between 2013 and 2014 was seen in Luxembourg (24 %), Greece (31 %) and Estonia (54 %).
An analysis of community design co-ownership shows that on average almost 75 % of designs at annual level, for which an application was filed to EUIPO, belong to a single owner (see Figure 7). Between 2003 and 2014, there were more jointly owned Community designs (18 %) than European Union trademarks (2.5 %) in the EU. EU co-ownership remained stable in 2011-13, with 17 % of Community designs belonging to owners originating from EU Member States, while in 2014 the share of Community Designs originating from EU Member States only was 9 %. The figures of 2014 indicate that during 2014 single ownership increased in relation to 2013 as 85 % of Community designs submitted to EUIPO during 2014 belonged to a single owner. The share of single ownership among Community Designs in 2013 was 73 %.
Design protection activity in the EU is not concentrated in the capital regions of EU-28 Member States. In 2014, among the 10 EU-28 regions with the highest number of designs applications filed to EUIPO only 2 are capital regions (see Figure 8). The total number of designs by the top ten EU-28 regions accounted for the 12.5 % of total designs received by EUIPO during 2014 by EU-28 Member States. Paris, filed to EUIPO during 2014 not only the highest number of EUTM applications among all EU-28 regions but also the highest number of Community designs, 2.6 % of total designs received by EUIPO from EU-28 Member States. Three of the top ten regions in the EU with the highest number of design applications in 2014 were from Italy. Figure 8 indicates that 5 out of top ten EU regions in design protection activity did increase their total number of designs filed to EUIPO during 2014 in relation to 2009. The highest increase between 2009 and 2014 in design protection activity occurred in Varna, which is the third largest city of Bulgaria with a population of 335 949 inhabitants and Schaffhausen, a city of almost 35 000 inhabitants in northern Switzerland. The total number of designs that originated from Varna and were submitted to EUIPO increased by 14 825 % during 2014 in relation to 2009. The total number of Community designs originating from Schaffhausen increased by 3 738.4 % during 2014 in relation to 2009. The extreme increase in the total volume of designs originating from Varna is related to the entrance in the local business lifecycle of enterprises with high protection activity in product designs since 2013. The high increase in the volume of designs that were filed to EUIPO for protection during 2014 from design owners with their domicile in Schaffhausen, began since 2010 when enterprises with intensive protection activity in product designs initialized their economic activity in the Swiss city. The total number of designs to EUIPO in 2014 from Luxembourg and Stuttgart increased by 172.8 % and 121.7 % respectively compared with 2009. At the other end of the scale, among the top ten EU-28 regions in Community design protection, München (-11.3 %), Paris (-19.1 %) and Barcelona (-24.5 %) had the largest decrease in design protection activity across the EU between 2009 and 2014.
Data sources and availability
The compilation of statistical indicators on European Union trademarks and designs is performed with the raw data that are provided by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), formerly known as the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM). EUIPO is the European Union Intellectual Property Office responsible for managing the EU trade marks and registered Community designs. With the entry into force of Regulation No 2015/2424 amending the European Union trade mark regulation on 23 March 2016, OHIM became the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), and the European Union trade mark became the European Union trade mark.
Context
Trademark and design statistics can serve as tools for illustrating the achievements reached by the European Union in its strategies for developing a smarter, knowledge-based, greener economy, growing fast and sustainably, and creating high levels of employment and social progress (under the Lisbon Strategy and the EU 2020 Strategy).
The compilation of statistics on trademarks and designs enables the European Commission to better measure non-technological innovation, whose importance is increasing for economies that are heavily reliant on the service sector. Trademarks and industrial designs give protection across all sectors of the economy and make it possible to better measure an innovation’s commercial value. Patent and R&D statistics mainly reflect inventions and are less related to product commercialization, as patent and R&D activity does not always lead to a technically successful solution that can be used in a commercial product or service.
Eurostat has added organisational and marketing innovation to its guidelines for collecting and interpreting innovation data (‘Oslo Manual’) and has incorporated related questions into the Community Innovation Survey (CIS 4 and CIS 2012). Non-technological innovations are mostly product innovations that take place in sectors with a relatively low technological content, notably the service sector.
Trademarks are words or figurative marks that are an essential part of the ‘identity’ of goods and services. They help deliver brand recognition, for example in logos, and play an important role in marketing and communication. It is possible to register a variety of trademarks, including words, graphical representations, and even sounds. Trademark owners have a choice of obtaining protection on a country-by-country basis, or internationally.
A registered European Union trademark (EUTM) is an exclusive right that protects distinctive signs. It is registered directly with EUIPO in Alicante in accordance with the conditions specified in the EUTM Regulations, and is valid across is valid in all of the 28 countries of the European Union. A EUTM registration lasts for 10 years but can be renewed indefinitely (Source: EUIPO).
A design is the outward appearance of a product or part of it, resulting from the lines, contours, colors, shape, texture, materials and/or its ornamentation. The design or shape of a product can be synonymous with a company’s branding and image and can become an asset with monetary value that could increase.
A registered Community design (CD) is an exclusive right that covers the outward appearance of a product or part of it. It is valid in all countries of the European Union. It has an initial duration of five years from the filing date and can be renewed in blocks of five years up to a maximum of 25 years. Applicants may market a design for up to 12 months before filing for a registered community design without destroying its novelty(Source: EUIPO).
See also
- Innovation and information society statistics introduced
- Innovation statistics
- Patent statistics background
Further Eurostat information
Publications
- Science, technology and innovation in Europe - Pocketbook, 2013 edition
- Science, technology and innovation in Europe - Pocketbook, 2012 edition
Database
- Science and technology, see:
- Intellectual property rights (ipr)
- European Union trade marks (EUTM) (ipr_t)
- European Union trade marks (EUTM) applications by receive year (ipr_ta)
- European Union trade marks (EUTM) publications by publication year (ipr_tp)
- European Union trade marks (EUTM) registrations by registration year (ipr_tr)
- European Union trade marks (EUTM) renewals by receive year (ipr_trn)
- European Union trade marks (EUTM) lifecycle by receive year (ipr_tl)
- Cooperation for European Union trade marks by receive year (ipr_tc)
- European Union trade marks (EUTM) (ipr_t)
- Community design (CD) (ipr_d)
- Applications filled for the registration of one or more Community designs (CD) by receive year (ipr_da)
- Community design (CD) filed in applications by receive year (ipr_dfa)
- Registered Community designs (RCD) by registration year (ipr_dr)
- Registered Community design (RCD) publications by publication year (ipr_dp)
- Registered Community designs (RCD) renewals by renewal year (ipr_drn)
- Cooperation for Community designs (CD) by receive year (ipr_dc)
- Community design (CD) (ipr_d)
Dedicated section
Methodology / Metadata
- European Union trade marks (EUTM) (ESMS metadata file — ipr_t_esms)
- Community design (CD) (ESMS metadata file — ipr_d_esms)
