Five-year review

Five-year overview

	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
European patent filings
Direct European applications	71 391	62 558	63 166	60 650	59 974
PCT international patent applications	164 340	182 437	195 334	205 268	214 200
Total European patent filings	235 731	244 995	258 500	265 918	274 174

European patent applications filed with the EPO

Direct European applications	71 391	62 558	63 166	60 650	59 974
PCT applications entering the regional phase	79 624	80 264	85 396	87 377	92 007
Total European patent applications filed with the EPO	151 015	142 822	148 562	148 027	151 981

Searches carried out

European searches		100 010	104 638	103 601	105 432	111 852
Other searches		101 504	101 501	100 724	107 844	111 451
	For national offices and third parties	27 818	26 227	23 899	25 624	26 755
	International	73 686	75 274	76 825	82 220	84 696
Total searches		201 514	206 139	204 325	213 276	223 303

Examinations and oppositions

International preliminary examinations	7 128	7 529	7 995	7 863	7 987
European examinations	114 991	110 331	111 860	116 820	115 595
European patents granted	58 108	62 112	65 657	66 712	64 613
Patents opposed	2 766	2 963	2 994	2 963	3 063
Decisions in opposition cases	2 309	2 234	2 021	2 176	2 143

Appeals

Received
	Technical Boards of Appeal	2 545	2 657	2 602	2 515	2 354
Settled
	Enlarged Board of Appeal
	- Petitions for review	21	21	15	17	17
	- Referrals	7	1	1	0	4
	Technical Boards of Appeal	1 962	1 875	2 029	2 137	2 300
	Legal Board of Appeal	23	15	19	25	22
	Disciplinary Board of Appeal	16	12	7	8	17

Staff

Total staff	6 848	6 790	6 766	6 814	6 892
Examiners	3 967	3 961	3 994	4 112	4 221

Figures are based on data from the EPO and WIPO (for PCT filings) as available on 27/01/2015. PCT filings for 2014 are therefore estimates.