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    INSIGHTS

    TOP 50 applicants at the EPO


    4/12/2019|INSIGHTS

    Top 50

    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  CompanyEuropean patent   applications in 2018

    Change
    2018 vs. 2017

    DirectPCT   regional
    1SIEMENS2,49312.3%1,666822
    2HUAWEI2,4853.6%3992,086
    3SAMSUNG2,44921.5%1,2781,171
    4LG2,37615.6%7911,585
    5UNITED TECHNOLOGIES1,98315.4%1,639276
    6ROYAL PHILIPS1,617-6.7%724893
    7QUALCOMM1,593-14.1%1781,415
    8ERICSSON1,4727.2%1891,283
    9GENERAL ELECTRIC1,307-4.7%725582
    10ROBERT BOSCH1,286-8.9%442844
    11SONY1,2784.8%347931
    12BASF1,256-0.7%700556
    13INTEL1,057-26.3%383674
    14JOHNSON & JOHNSON98212.4%695287
    15MICROSOFT975-15.9%22953
    16CANON81615.3%690126
    17PANASONIC81512.0%311504
    18VALEO7841.8%433351
    19ALPHABET77941.6%143636
    20NOKIA738-19.7%335403
    21CONTINENTAL6919.9%325366
    22HITACHI658-6.9%117541
    23MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC65513.1%73582
    24HOFFMANN-LA ROCHE6511.2%316335
    253M635-5.9%131504
    25HONEYWELL6352.6%449186
    27HP62620.6%32594
    28DOW CHEMICAL623-15.1%83540
    29TOYOTA MOTOR60813.6%58325
    30CEA35979.7%351246
    31BOEING596-2.0%5942
    32MEDTRONIC59312.5%276317
    33PROCTER & GAMBLE580-27.9%214366
    34PHILIPS LIGHTING573-18.1%343230
    35ABB57112.4%377194
    36BAYER559-36.5%336223
    37SABIC55727.8%207350
    38TOSHIBA545-8.6%430115
    39GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE   TELECOMMUNICATIONS5231276.3%322201
    40MITSUBISHI HEAVY   INDUSTRIES51210.8%141371
    41AIRBUS50939.1%41099
    42UNILEVER50219.0%284218
    43DSM50026.6%387113
    44FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT44681.7%247221
    45PHILIP MORRIS45729.8%219238
    46MERCK KGAA432-11.5%250182
    47SAFRAN42316.2%118305
    48BOE TECHNOLOGY419-16.2%3416
    49NESTLE382-15.3%159223
    50APPLE37537.9%175200

    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.