Patent applicants and applications; size class of applicant, 2000-2010

Patent applicants and applications; size class of applicant, 2000-2010

Size class enterprise Periods Patent applications at the EPO (number) Patent applications at the NLOC (number)
Total employed persons 2010* 3,460 1,849
0 employed persons 2010* 72 138
1 employed person 2010* 123 258
2 to 5 employed persons 2010* 108 182
5 to 10 employed persons 2010* 64 90
10 to 20 employed persons 2010* 84 94
20 to 50 employed persons 2010* 137 152
50 to 100 employed persons 2010* 102 85
100 to 200 employed persons 2010* 108 118
200 to 500 employed persons 2010* 294 98
500 employed persons or more 2010* 2,291 409
Employed persons unknown 2010* 76 226
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Dataset is not available.


This table gives an overview of the number of patent applicants and patent applications at the European Patent Office (EPO) and NL Patent Office, a division of NL Agency (NLOC). Patents can be granted to enterprises, universities, institutions, private persons or other entities as long as the invention which they cover fulfils certain criteria. To obtain a patent the invention must be novel, contain an inventive step and be industrially applicable. This is assessed by a patent office like the EPO or NLOC. The patent office will grant or reject the application.

The data are broken down by size class of the enterprise that applying for the patent. The data give an indication of which size classes of enterprises in the Netherlands are the most innovative.

This table has been stopped.

Data available from 2000 to 2010.

Status of the figures:
Data are final for 2000 to 2009. The data for 2010 are provisional. Since this table has been stopped, the data for 2010 will not be finalized.

Changes as of 30 October 2015:
None, this table has been stopped.

When will new figures be published?
No longer applicable.

Description topics

Patent applications at the EPO
Patent applications at the European Patent Office (EPO) in the
period observed. A patent that is granted by the European Patent Office
(EPO) is valid in all member countries of the EPO. However the EPO
patent must be validated at the national patent office in order to be
effective in member countries.
Patent:
A patent is an intellectual property right issued by an authorised body
intended to protect a new product, process or technology. It gives the
owner the legal right to prevent others from using, manufacturing,
selling, importing, etc. the invention. The patent remains in force for
limited duration and only in the country or countries concerned. Patents
can be granted to for example enterprises, institutions, individuals or
other entities as long as the invention meets the conditions for
patentability: novelty, non-obviousness and industrial applicability.
Patent applications at the NLOC
Patent applications at the NL Patent Office (NLOC), a division of
Agency NL, in the period observed. A patent that is granted by the
NL Patent Office is only valid in The Netherlands.
Patent:
A patent is an intellectual property right issued by an authorised body
intended to protect a new product, process or technology. It gives the
owner the legal right to prevent others from using, manufacturing,
selling, importing, etc. the invention. The patent remains in force for
limited duration and only in the country or countries concerned. Patents
can be granted to for example enterprises, institutions, individuals or
other entities as long as the invention meets the conditions for
patentability: novelty, non-obviousness and industrial applicability.