European Patent Office

Thanks largely to an increase in filing volumes from China, the United States and South Korea, patent applications hit an all-time high at the European Patent Office (EPO) in 2019, with 181,000 filings made. This represents a 4% increase on the previous year – a slightly smaller increase than those seen in 2017 and 2018. EPO states still filed some 45% of the total number of applications, demonstrating that – despite growing interest from the United States and Asia – the European market remains vital to global technological innovation. Digital communication has become the leading technical sector in which applications are filed, with a massive 19.6% rise. Other technical areas which have seen an increase include basic communication processes (+13.9%), computer technology (+10.2%), materials and metallurgy (+10.2%), and general consumer goods (+10.5%). Conversely, marked decreases are apparent in areas such as nanotechnology (-9.5%), engines, pumps, and turbines (-3.9%), and civil engineering (-2.3%). When looking at country of origin, the United States was the highest overall filer of applications; while Switzerland holds the top spot per capita.

Firms

Individuals

  • Harvey Adams - Carpmaels & Ransford LLP
  • Anthony Albutt - D Young & Co LLP
  • Agustín Alconada - ABG Intellectual Property Law SL
  • Juan Arias - ABG Intellectual Property Law SL
  • Peter Arrowsmith - Gill Jennings & Every LLP
  • Anna Barlocci - ZBM Patents & Trademarks 
  • Thorsten Bausch - HOFFMANN EITLE
  • Koen Bijvank - Brinkhof 
  • Dirk Bühler - Maiwald Patentanwalts- und Rechtsanwalts-GmbH 
  • Arwed A Burrichter - COHAUSZ & FLORACK 
  • Eva Carlsson - AWA Denmark A/S
  • Arnie Clarke - Gill Jennings & Every LLP
  • Paul Clarkson - NLO
  • Kristina Cornish - Kilburn & Strode LLP
  • Philip Cupitt - Marks & Clerk
  • Christopher Davies - Dehns
  • Ann De Clercq - De Clercq & Partners
  • Paul Derry - Venner Shipley LLP
  • Grégoire Desrousseaux - August Debouzy
  • Peter Finnie - Potter Clarkson LLP
  • Kirk Gallagher - D Young & Co LLP
  • Morten Garberg - HOFFMANN EITLE
  • Siân Gill - Venner Shipley LLP
  • Hugh Goodfellow - Carpmaels & Ransford LLP
  • Peter Hale - Haley Guiliano LLP
  • Norbert Hansen - Maiwald Patentanwalts- und Rechtsanwalts-GmbH 
  • Charles T Harding - D Young & Co LLP
  • Adrian Hayes - Boult Wade Tennant LLP
  • Johannes Heselberger - BARDEHLE PAGENBERG Partnerschaft mbB 
  • Willem A Hoyng - HOYNG ROKH MONEGIER
  • Hans-Rainer Jaenichen - Vossius & Partner Patentanwälte Rechtsanwälte mbB
  • Reinhard Knauer - Grünecker 
  • Jordi Kox - EP&C BV
  • Simon Kremer - Mewburn Ellis LLP
  • Johannes Lang - BARDEHLE PAGENBERG Partnerschaft mbB 
  • Cameron Marshall - Carpmaels & Ransford LLP
  • Niklas Mattsson - AWA Sweden AB
  • Nick McLeish - Boult Wade Tennant LLP
  • Heinz-Peter Muth - Uexküll & Stolberg
  • Benedikt Maria Neuburger - Zimmermann & Partner Patentanwälte mbB
  • Will Nieuwenhuys - Marks & Clerk
  • Pawel Piotrowicz - Venner Shipley LLP
  • François Pochart - August Debouzy
  • Leo Polz - HOFFMANN EITLE
  • Gwilym Roberts - Kilburn & Strode LLP
  • Mark Peter Roberts - J A Kemp
  • Sarah Elizabeth Roques - J A Kemp
  • Rainer Rothinger - Wuesthoff & Wuesthoff
  • Lucy Samuels - Gill Jennings & Every LLP
  • Frits Schut - VO Patents & Trademarks 
  • Rohan P Setna - Boult Wade Tennant LLP
  • Magnus Stiebe - BALDER
  • Joseph P Taormino - HOFFMANN EITLE
  • Hein van den Heuvel - Patentwerk BV
  • Rainer Viktor - Vossius & Partner Patentanwälte Rechtsanwälte mbB
  • James Ward - Haseltine Lake Kempner LLP 
  • Jeremy Webster - Mewburn Ellis LLP
  • Nina White - Boult Wade Tennant LLP
  • Simon Mark Wright - J A Kemp