Future patent filings
The EPO surveys a sample of its applicants annually to obtain information on the numbers of patent applications they envisage filing in the future.
Future filings survey 2010
Please find here the latest report of the most recent completed survey. Summary documents are also available in French and German.
Future filings survey 2010 (Main report)
Anmelderumfrage 2010 (Zusammenfassung)
Enquête 2010 sur les depots (Résumé)
Revision of 2010 survey report (original March 2011, revised May 2011)
On 6th April, 2011, the EPO published the results of the Future Filings Survey 2010 on this website. A small error has been found that required correction of the results relating to the Random group in the survey. The main report and summaries have been revised and are presented here. See the detailed methodology page for specific information (link further below). Fortunately all of the survey’s main findings and interpretations remain unchanged, although the exact values of most of the forecasts have changed slightly. We regret any inconvenience caused by making this revision.
Please check the archive for reports on older surveys.
Future filings survey 2011
This year the survey field investigation takes place from April to September 2011. Synovate GmbH is in charge of the administration of the survey which, nevertheless, remains under the supervision of the Office.
In case you are approached by Synovate with a request to participate in the survey, it will be greatly appreciated if you can please agree to do so. The documents that will be provided to you are accompanied by an invitation letter from the EPO. Your filled-in questionnaire can be sent to us by facsimile (fax) to the number 0049 89 2399 1333. If on the other hand you prefer not to disclose your answers directly to the EPO, please inform Synovate in their next call. It should be stressed that the information you provide will be treated as confidential and for research purposes only.
This notice confirms the legitimacy of the survey. For further confirmation from the Office itself please write to Mr. George Lazaridis. The report of the survey will be published at this site in early 2012.
Objectives
The EPO carries out this applicant survey in order to
- estimate how many filings might be expected at the EPO and other patent offices over the next three years
- forecast the budget and manpower resources required to cope with the estimated number of filings
- understand the processes that lead to an application being filed
- collect information about economic trends
Frequency
Once a year
Methodology
Applicants are surveyed with the main objective to predict the numbers of patent filings for the current year and for the two following years. The EPO uses the predictions as one of the ways of allocating resources in order to ensure a high service level when processing future patent filings.
Generally, applicants are selected in two groups: a Biggest group (around 400) and a Random group (around 2000). Many of the biggest applicants appear in both groups. Questionnaires are sent out in spring each year, with interviews being completed by early September at the latest. The questionnaire contains a matrix of questions on patent filings broken down by first and subsequent filings, not only at the EPO but also in other main worldwide patent systems.
For more information on how the forecasts are constructed, please see the detailed methodology page.
Read about the "Search and examination" survey
Read about the "Online Services" survey