WIPO Reports 4.5% Drop in PCT Filings For 2009

WIPO reported today that, despite the economic turmoil in 2009, PCT applications experienced a mere 4.5% drop for the year - provisional data indicates that 155,900 applications were filed in 2009 as compared to the nearly 164,000 applications filed in 2008.

The U.S. continues to be a top user of PCT applications, filing just under a third of all international applications in 2009.  The top 10 filers include:

(1)  United States -- 45,790 applications
(2)  Japan -- 29,827 applications
(3)  Germany -- 16,736 applications
(4)  Republic of Korea -- 8,066 applications
(5)  China -- 7,946 applications
(6)  France -- 7,166 applications
(7)  United Kingdom -- 5,320 applications
(8)  The Netherlands -- 4,471 applications
(9)  Switzerland -- 3,688 applications
(10)  Sweden -- 3,667 applications

While these rankings have remained somewhat consistent over the years, the recent economic turmoil appears to have hit different countries in different ways.  Specifically, filings from Western industrialized countries experienced significant drops:

Israel: -17.2%
Canada: -11.7%
U.S.A.: -11.4%
Sweden: -11.3%
Australia: -7.5%
Italy: -5.8%
United Kingdom: -3.5%
Finland: -2.2%

In contrast, international patent filings in a number of East Asian countries continued to enjoy positive growth:

China: +29.7%
Japan: +3.6%
Republic of Korea: +2.1%

Declines and advances in PCT filings also varied by technology area. The greatest declines related to computer technology (12,560 applications, down 10.6% on 2008); pharmaceuticals (12,200 applications, down 8.0% on 2008) and medical technology (12,091 applications, down 5.9% on 2008). The largest growth rates were experienced in micro-structural and nano-technology (+10.2%), semiconductors (+10%) and thermal processes and apparatus (+ 7.2%).


-- Read WIPO's press release and report, "International Patent Filings Dip in 2009 amid Global Economic Downturn" (link)