Germany Retains World Number Two Spot for European Patent Office Applications

Germany has retained its position as the leading nation for European patent applications behind the United States according to the European Patent Office (EPO) Patent Index 2024. The country’s EPO applications were up slightly in 2024 – increasing by 0.4 percent to just over 25,000 applications for the year (equivalent to 12.6 percent of all applications).

Germany consistently ranks as Europe’s leading EPO patent application nation, underpinning the country’s strong innovation environment and R&D landscape. The United States accounts for around one quarter (47,787 applications) of the almost 200 thousand patents registered in the past year. Leading German companies BASF, Robert Bosch and Siemens count among the top 10 patent application companies in 2024, with four companies in total from Europe.

Computer technology – including AI machine learning and pattern recognition – was the leading field for the first time, with 16,815 applications in 2024 (3.3 percent increase). The strongest growth was recorded in the electrical machinery sector, with clean energy technologies – and battery innovations in particular – driving a year-on-year increase of 8.9 percent.

“This year’s EPO Patent Index results are resounding proof of the innovative excellence to be found in Germany” said Robert Hermann, Germany Trade & Invest CEO. “Particularly gratifying is the fact that four German companies count among the top 10 patent applicant companies in 2024. Germany will continue to be a strong partner for international companies seeking to develop innovative technologies in areas as diverse as AI, green energy technologies and microelectronics.”