In a press release published on February 10, 2022, WIPO announced the number of international filings for patents, trademarks and designs for the past year.  Despite the pandemic, the number of filings for 2021 reached record-setting levels.  As Daren Tang, WIPO’s Director General noted, “Although COVID-19 related restrictions have kept humans and families apart, it cannot stop the worldwide movement of fresh ideas, innovative products and new services”.

International patent applications filed using WIPO’s Patent Cooperation Treaty system grew by 0.9%, with China leading the way, followed by the U.S., Japan, the Republic of Korea and Germany.

The Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks saw an increase of 14.4% in trademark filings.  The largest number of international trademark applications are from U.S. based applicants, followed by those located in Germany, China and France.

Despite a decline in the previous year, the filing of industrial designs via the Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs saw a 20.8% increase in 2021.  Germany remains the largest user of the Hague System, with the U.S. and Italy coming in second and third.

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