This ranking shows the largest applicants1 at the EPO (first-named applicant principle). It indicates the total number of European applications filed with the EPO for each and the split between direct European applications (Direct) and international (PCT) applications that entered the European phase (PCT regional) during the reporting period.
Split Direct / PCT regional2 in 2018 | |||||
Rank | Company | European patent applications in 2018 | Change | Direct | PCT regional |
1 | SIEMENS | 2,493 | 12.3% | 1,666 | 822 |
2 | HUAWEI | 2,485 | 3.6% | 399 | 2,086 |
3 | SAMSUNG | 2,449 | 21.5% | 1,278 | 1,171 |
4 | LG | 2,376 | 15.6% | 791 | 1,585 |
5 | UNITED TECHNOLOGIES | 1,983 | 15.4% | 1,639 | 276 |
6 | ROYAL PHILIPS | 1,617 | -6.7% | 724 | 893 |
7 | QUALCOMM | 1,593 | -14.1% | 178 | 1,415 |
8 | ERICSSON | 1,472 | 7.2% | 189 | 1,283 |
9 | GENERAL ELECTRIC | 1,307 | -4.7% | 725 | 582 |
10 | ROBERT BOSCH | 1,286 | -8.9% | 442 | 844 |
11 | SONY | 1,278 | 4.8% | 347 | 931 |
12 | BASF | 1,256 | -0.7% | 700 | 556 |
13 | INTEL | 1,057 | -26.3% | 383 | 674 |
14 | JOHNSON & JOHNSON | 982 | 12.4% | 695 | 287 |
15 | MICROSOFT | 975 | -15.9% | 22 | 953 |
16 | CANON | 816 | 15.3% | 690 | 126 |
17 | PANASONIC | 815 | 12.0% | 311 | 504 |
18 | VALEO | 784 | 1.8% | 433 | 351 |
19 | ALPHABET | 779 | 41.6% | 143 | 636 |
20 | NOKIA | 738 | -19.7% | 335 | 403 |
21 | CONTINENTAL | 691 | 9.9% | 325 | 366 |
22 | HITACHI | 658 | -6.9% | 117 | 541 |
23 | MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC | 655 | 13.1% | 73 | 582 |
24 | HOFFMANN-LA ROCHE | 651 | 1.2% | 316 | 335 |
25 | 3M | 635 | -5.9% | 131 | 504 |
25 | HONEYWELL | 635 | 2.6% | 449 | 186 |
27 | HP | 626 | 20.6% | 32 | 594 |
28 | DOW CHEMICAL | 623 | -15.1% | 83 | 540 |
29 | TOYOTA MOTOR | 608 | 13.6% | 583 | 25 |
30 | CEA3 | 597 | 9.7% | 351 | 246 |
31 | BOEING | 596 | -2.0% | 594 | 2 |
32 | MEDTRONIC | 593 | 12.5% | 276 | 317 |
33 | PROCTER & GAMBLE | 580 | -27.9% | 214 | 366 |
34 | PHILIPS LIGHTING | 573 | -18.1% | 343 | 230 |
35 | ABB | 571 | 12.4% | 377 | 194 |
36 | BAYER | 559 | -36.5% | 336 | 223 |
37 | SABIC | 557 | 27.8% | 207 | 350 |
38 | TOSHIBA | 545 | -8.6% | 430 | 115 |
39 | GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS | 523 | 1276.3% | 322 | 201 |
40 | MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES | 512 | 10.8% | 141 | 371 |
41 | AIRBUS | 509 | 39.1% | 410 | 99 |
42 | UNILEVER | 502 | 19.0% | 284 | 218 |
43 | DSM | 500 | 26.6% | 387 | 113 |
44 | FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT4 | 468 | 1.7% | 247 | 221 |
45 | PHILIP MORRIS | 457 | 29.8% | 219 | 238 |
46 | MERCK KGAA | 432 | -11.5% | 250 | 182 |
47 | SAFRAN | 423 | 16.2% | 118 | 305 |
48 | BOE TECHNOLOGY | 419 | -16.2% | 3 | 416 |
49 | NESTLE | 382 | -15.3% | 159 | 223 |
50 | APPLE | 375 | 37.9% | 175 | 200 |
Source: EPO.
Status: 21.1.2019.
1 This is the ranking of the main consolidated applicants at the EPO in 2018 (first-named applicant principle). It is based on European patent applications filed with the EPO, which include direct European applications and international (PCT) applications that entered the European phase during the reporting period. Applications by identifiable subsidiaries, not necessarily located in the same country, are allocated to the consolidated applicants.
2 PCT applications that entered the European phase during the reporting period.
3 Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives.
4 Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications.