Patent applications per million inhabitants (Europe)
This table shows patent filings1 from applicants in the 39 member states of the European Patent Organisation2, as well as the ratio per million inhabitants of each member state. Unlike the global data, this table has no lower threshold for the number of inhabitants of any state.
| Country of residence of the applicant3 | 2025 | 2024 | Change | Population4 (mio inhabitants) | Ratio: applications 2025 per mio. inhabitants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liechtenstein | 430 | 361 | 19.1% | 0.041 | 10 517.3 |
| Switzerland | 9 914 | 9 966 | -0.5% | 9.049 | 1 095.6 |
| Finland | 3 457 | 2 400 | 44.0% | 5.636 | 613.4 |
| Luxembourg | 374 | 307 | 21.8% | 0.682 | 548.4 |
| Monaco | 19 | 23 | -17.4% | 0.038 | 494.5 |
| Sweden | 4 724 | 4 936 | -4.3% | 10.588 | 446.2 |
| Denmark | 2 672 | 2 539 | 5.2% | 5.993 | 445.9 |
| Netherlands | 7 006 | 7 054 | -0.7% | 18.044 | 388.3 |
| Germany | 24 476 | 25 033 | -2.2% | 83.577 | 292.9 |
| Austria | 2 253 | 2 146 | 5.0% | 9.197 | 245.0 |
| San Marino | 8 | 18 | -55.6% | 0.034 | 238.3 |
| Ireland | 1 179 | 1 118 | 5.5% | 5.440 | 216.7 |
| Belgium | 2 548 | 2 615 | -2.6% | 11.900 | 214.1 |
| Iceland | 76 | 62 | 22.6% | 0.389 | 195.2 |
| France | 10 932 | 10 980 | -0.4% | 68.636 | 159.3 |
| All 39 EPO states | 86 609 | 86 629 | 0.4% | 632.119 | 137.0 |
| Norway | 726 | 817 | -11.1% | 5.594 | 129.8 |
| Malta | 72 | 62 | 16.1% | 0.574 | 125.4 |
| United Kingdom | 5 875 | 6 076 | -3.3% | 69.551 | 84.5 |
| Italy | 4 767 | 4 853 | -1.8% | 58.934 | 80.9 |
| Slovenia | 171 | 156 | 9.6% | 2.131 | 80.2 |
| Estonia | 82 | 74 | 10.8% | 1.370 | 59.9 |
| Cyprus | 57 | 62 | -8.1% | 0.980 | 58.2 |
| Spain | 2 255 | 2 192 | 2.9% | 49.078 | 45.9 |
| Portugal | 368 | 347 | 6.1% | 10.750 | 34.2 |
| Lithuania | 93 | 73 | 27.4% | 2.891 | 32.2 |
| Czech Republic | 267 | 252 | 6.0% | 10.910 | 24.5 |
| Latvia | 38 | 36 | 5.6% | 1.857 | 20.5 |
| Poland | 621 | 692 | -10.3% | 36.497 | 17.0 |
| Hungary | 129 | 139 | -7.2% | 9.540 | 13.5 |
| Greece | 123 | 107 | 15% | 10.410 | 11.8 |
| Bulgaria | 72 | 53 | 35.8% | 6.437 | 11.2 |
| Slovakia | 58 | 62 | -6.5% | 5.419 | 10.7 |
| Croatia | 40 | 41 | -2.4% | 3.874 | 10.3 |
| Montenegro | 5 | 6 | -16.7% | 0.623 | 8.0 |
| Türkiye | 659 | 542 | 21.6% | 85.665 | 7.7 |
| Albania | 8 | 11 | -27.3% | 2.363 | 3.4 |
| Romania | 41 | 63 | -34.9% | 19.036 | 2.2 |
| Serbia | 13 | 20 | -35.0% | 6.568 | 2.0 |
| North Macedonia | 1 | 2 | -50.0% | 1.823 | 0.5 |
| Sub-total other countries of origin | 115 365 | 112 968 | 2.1% |
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| Total | 201 974 | 199 264 | 1.4% |
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Source: EPO.
Status: 2.2.2026
1 European patent applications include direct European applications and international (PCT) applications that entered the European phase during the reporting period.
2 EPO states: the 39 member states of the European Patent Organisation, which includes the 27 states of the EU.
3 In cases where several applicants are mentioned on the application form, the country of residence of the first applicant listed applies.
4 Source of population figures: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025); Eurostat (2025)