Dutch firms made a record 7,606 patent applications last year
Dutch companies and individuals made a record 7,606 applications for patents to the European patent office last year, a rise of 17% on 2012.
Some two-thirds of the 266,000 patent applications made to the EPO in 2013 came from outside the EU. America accounted for almost a quarter of them. Germany was the most active EU country, accounting for 12% of the total.
Worldwide, the Netherlands ranks eighth in terms of the number of applications filed.
Philips
The technological strength of the leading European countries is also reflected in the figures for European applications per million inhabitants, the EPO said.
Switzerland tops the list with 832 applications, ahead of Sweden (402), Finland (360), Denmark and the Netherlands (both 347).
Philips was the most active Dutch patent company, making 1,839 applications. The Dutch electronics group was also the third most active filer worldwide behind Samsung and Siemens.
Earlier this week, the European Commission said the Netherlands had dropped one place in its annual ranking of the most innovative European countries.
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