Patent applicants and applications; SIC 2008 and company size

Changed on: 15/07/2024 02:00

Patent applicants and applications; SIC 2008 and company size
Country (UCI)	SIC 2008	Company size	Periods	EPO-Patent applicants (number)	EPO-Patent applications (number)	EPO-Patent Applicants with foreign cooperation (number)	EPO-Patent Applications with foreign cooperation (number)	OCNL-Patent Patent applicants (number)	OCNL-Patent Patent applications (number)	OCNL-Patent Applicants with foreign cooperation (number)	OCNL-Patent Applications with foreign cooperation (number)
Total domestic and foreign	A-U All economic activities	Total employed persons	2021*	590	2,395	55	180	1,100	1,635	20	15
Total domestic and foreign	A-U All economic activities	0 to 49 employed persons	2021*	305	410	20	55	660	840	10	10
Total domestic and foreign	A-U All economic activities	50 to 249 employed persons	2021*	85	230	5	45	135	250	0	0
Total domestic and foreign	A-U All economic activities	250 and more employed persons	2021*	135	1,640	25	80	120	355	5	5
Total domestic and foreign	A-U All economic activities	Employed persons unknown	2021*	65	115	5	5	185	185	5	5
Domestic	A-U All economic activities	Total employed persons	2021*	470	1,895	40	85	1,015	1,445	15	10
Domestic	A-U All economic activities	0 to 49 employed persons	2021*	280	375	15	50	640	815	5	5
Domestic	A-U All economic activities	50 to 249 employed persons	2021*	50	75	0	0	100	185	0	0
Domestic	A-U All economic activities	250 and more employed persons	2021*	75	1,335	20	30	90	260	5	5
Domestic	A-U All economic activities	Employed persons unknown	2021*	65	115	5	5	185	185	5	5
Foreign	A-U All economic activities	Total employed persons	2021*	120	500	15	95	90	190	5	5
Foreign	A-U All economic activities	0 to 49 employed persons	2021*	25	40	5	5	20	25	0	0
Foreign	A-U All economic activities	50 to 249 employed persons	2021*	40	155	5	40	35	65	0	0
Foreign	A-U All economic activities	250 and more employed persons	2021*	55	305	10	50	30	95	0	0
Foreign	A-U All economic activities	Employed persons unknown	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Equally-shared control	A-U All economic activities	Total employed persons	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Equally-shared control	A-U All economic activities	0 to 49 employed persons	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Equally-shared control	A-U All economic activities	50 to 249 employed persons	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Equally-shared control	A-U All economic activities	250 and more employed persons	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Equally-shared control	A-U All economic activities	Employed persons unknown	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Extra EU-27 not allocated	A-U All economic activities	Total employed persons	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Extra EU-27 not allocated	A-U All economic activities	0 to 49 employed persons	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Extra EU-27 not allocated	A-U All economic activities	50 to 249 employed persons	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Extra EU-27 not allocated	A-U All economic activities	250 and more employed persons	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Extra EU-27 not allocated	A-U All economic activities	Employed persons unknown	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Offshore financial centres	A-U All economic activities	Total employed persons	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Offshore financial centres	A-U All economic activities	0 to 49 employed persons	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Offshore financial centres	A-U All economic activities	50 to 249 employed persons	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Offshore financial centres	A-U All economic activities	250 and more employed persons	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Offshore financial centres	A-U All economic activities	Employed persons unknown	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Unknown	A-U All economic activities	Total employed persons	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Unknown	A-U All economic activities	0 to 49 employed persons	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Unknown	A-U All economic activities	50 to 249 employed persons	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Unknown	A-U All economic activities	250 and more employed persons	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Unknown	A-U All economic activities	Employed persons unknown	2021*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Source: CBS.

Explanation of symbols

Table explanation

This table gives an overview of the number of patent applicants and patent applications at the European Patent Office (EPO) and the Netherlands Patent Office (OCNL), a department of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). Patents can be granted to enterprises, universities, institutions, private persons or other entities as long as the invention which they cover fulfils certain criteria. To obtain a patent the invention must be novel, contain an inventive step and be industrially applicable. This is assessed by a patent office like the EPO or OCNL. The patent office will grant or reject the application.

The data are broken down by economic activity of the enterprise applying for a patent. For the classification by economic activity the Dutch Standard Industrial Classification (SIC 2008) is used. The data give an indication which branches are (most) innovative. Additionally, a breakdown by enterprise size class is available.

Data available from: 2013

Status of the figures:
The figures from 2013 to 2019 are final. The figures for 2020 are revised provisional. The figures for 2021 are provisional.

Changes as of 15 July 2024:
The figures for 2019 and 2020 have been adjusted and the provisional figures for 2021 have been added.

Changes as of 1 February 2024:
Provisional figures for 2019 and 2020 have been updated.

When will new figures be published?
Beginning of 2025 the figures for 2020 and 2021 will be updated. Mid 2025 the figures for 2020 and 2021 will be updated and new figures for 2022 will be added.

Description topics

EPO-Patent

A patent that is granted by the European Patent Office (EPO) is valid in all member countries of the EPO. However, the EPO patent must be validated at the national patent office in order to be effective in member countries.

applicants: Enterprises who applied for a patent at the European Patent Office (EPO)in the period observed.
A patent that is granted by the European Patent Office (EPO) is valid in all member countries of the EPO. However the EPO patent must be validated at the national patent office in order to be effective in member countries.

applications: Patent applications at the European Patent Office (EPO) in the period observed.
A patent that is granted by the European Patent Office (EPO) is valid in all member countries of the EPO. However the EPO patent must be validated at the national patent office in order to be effective in member countries.

Applicants with foreign cooperation: Enterprises who applied for a patent at the European Patent Office (EPO) in the period observed, where the Dutch applicant has cooperated with a foreign entity for any of its applications.

Applications with foreign cooperation: Patent applications at the European Patent Office (EPO) in the period observed, where the Dutch applicant has cooperated with a foreign entity for this specific application.

OCNL-Patent

A patent that is granted by NL Patent Office (OCNL), a division of Agency NL, is only valid in the Netherlands.

Patent applicants: Enterprises who applied for a patent at the Netherlands Patent Office (OCNL), a department of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), in the period observed.
A patent that is granted by NL Patent Office (OCNL), a division of Agency NL, is only valid in the Netherlands.

Patent applications: Patent applications at the Netherlands Patent Office (OCNL), a department of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), in the period observed.
A patent that is granted by NL Patent Office (OCNL), a division of Agency NL, is only valid in the Netherlands.

Applicants with foreign cooperation: Enterprises who applied for a patent at the Netherlands Patent Office (OCNL), a department of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), in the period observed, where the Dutch applicant has cooperated with a foreign entity for any of its applications.

Applications with foreign cooperation: Patent applications at the Netherlands Patent Office (OCNL), a department of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), in the period observed, where the Dutch applicant has cooperated with a foreign entity for this specific application.