Industrial property titles at their highest in 2020 despite the pandemic!

The WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) has just published its annual report on global indicators on intellectual property.
The indicators are clear: IP title applications increased in 2020 despite complicated and uncertain economic situations. The figures relating to patents and designs are slightly going up when the number of global trademark filings increased by 13.7%!
Innovation and its protection thus remain major tools to withstand the crises and the various innovation protection aid programs put in place are important incentives and support for businesses and especially SMEs.
According to statistics, most of the trademarks were registered in Asia. China remains the office with the largest number of filings, well ahead of the United States, followed by Iran, EUIPO and India.

Source: WIPO Statistics Database, November 2021

In addition, six classes of products and services designated out of the 45 of the Nice Classification alone represent no less than 46.2% of filings:

1. Class 09 of software, technological products (scientific and measuring devices, cameras, etc.),
2. Class 35 for advertising and business management assistance services,
3. Class 05 of pharmaceutical products and drugs,
4. Class 42 of scientific and technological services
5. Class 03 of cosmetics and cleaning products
6. Class 25 of clothing and footwear
7. Class 41 for education, training and entertainment services
8. Class 11 of lighting, heating, cooling, cooking …,
9. Class 10 of medical devices and instruments
10. Class 21 for kitchen and household utensils and containers.

Finally, the report produced by WIPO specifies that the 3 main sectors of protection in trademark filings in 2020 are:

• For the EUIPO: research and technological services, health, business services
• For China: agriculture, business services and health
• For the United States: research and technology services, recreation / education and clothing.

The entire report is available on the WIPO website: https://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2021/article_0011.html

https://www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/wipo_pub_941_2021.pdf

– Eleonore DAUPHANT, Intellectual Property Counsel and partner at Mark & ​​Law