Patent applicants and applications; SIC 2008 and company size

Changed on: 27/02/2026 02:00

Patent applicants and applications; SIC 2008 and company size
Country (UCI)	SIC 2008	Company size	Periods	EPO-Patent applicants (number)	EPO-Patent applications (number)	EPO-Patent Applicants with foreign cooperation (number)	EPO-Patent Applications with foreign cooperation (number)	OCNL-Patent Patent applicants (number)	OCNL-Patent Patent applications (number)	OCNL-Patent Applicants with foreign cooperation (number)	OCNL-Patent Applications with foreign cooperation (number)
Total domestic and foreign	A-U All economic activities	Total employed persons	2022*	820	3,935	70	430	900	1,450	10	15
Total domestic and foreign	A-U All economic activities	0 to 49 employed persons	2022*	380	570	20	65	445	615	0	0
Total domestic and foreign	A-U All economic activities	50 to 249 employed persons	2022*	135	490	10	160	130	240	0	0
Total domestic and foreign	A-U All economic activities	250 and more employed persons	2022*	160	2,675	35	195	115	400	5	10
Total domestic and foreign	A-U All economic activities	Employed persons unknown	2022*	140	200	10	10	210	195	0	0
Domestic	A-U All economic activities	Total employed persons	2022*	655	2,775	50	80	815	1,245	5	10
Domestic	A-U All economic activities	0 to 49 employed persons	2022*	340	455	15	20	430	590	0	0
Domestic	A-U All economic activities	50 to 249 employed persons	2022*	85	155	5	5	95	160	0	0
Domestic	A-U All economic activities	250 and more employed persons	2022*	85	1,960	20	45	85	305	5	10
Domestic	A-U All economic activities	Employed persons unknown	2022*	140	200	10	10	210	195	0	0
Foreign	A-U All economic activities	Total employed persons	2022*	165	1,160	20	350	85	205	5	5
Foreign	A-U All economic activities	0 to 49 employed persons	2022*	40	115	5	45	15	25	0	0
Foreign	A-U All economic activities	50 to 249 employed persons	2022*	50	330	5	160	40	80	0	0
Foreign	A-U All economic activities	250 and more employed persons	2022*	75	715	10	150	35	100	0	0
Foreign	A-U All economic activities	Employed persons unknown	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Equally-shared control	A-U All economic activities	Total employed persons	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Equally-shared control	A-U All economic activities	0 to 49 employed persons	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Equally-shared control	A-U All economic activities	50 to 249 employed persons	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Equally-shared control	A-U All economic activities	250 and more employed persons	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Equally-shared control	A-U All economic activities	Employed persons unknown	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Extra EU-27 not allocated	A-U All economic activities	Total employed persons	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Extra EU-27 not allocated	A-U All economic activities	0 to 49 employed persons	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Extra EU-27 not allocated	A-U All economic activities	50 to 249 employed persons	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Extra EU-27 not allocated	A-U All economic activities	250 and more employed persons	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Extra EU-27 not allocated	A-U All economic activities	Employed persons unknown	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Offshore financial centres	A-U All economic activities	Total employed persons	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Offshore financial centres	A-U All economic activities	0 to 49 employed persons	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Offshore financial centres	A-U All economic activities	50 to 249 employed persons	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Offshore financial centres	A-U All economic activities	250 and more employed persons	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Offshore financial centres	A-U All economic activities	Employed persons unknown	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Unknown	A-U All economic activities	Total employed persons	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Unknown	A-U All economic activities	0 to 49 employed persons	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Unknown	A-U All economic activities	50 to 249 employed persons	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Unknown	A-U All economic activities	250 and more employed persons	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Unknown	A-U All economic activities	Employed persons unknown	2022*	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Source: CBS.

Explanation of symbols

Table explanation

This table gives an overview of the number of patent applicants and patent applications at the European Patent Office (EPO) and the Netherlands Patent Office (OCNL), a department of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). 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 OCNL. The patent office will grant or reject the application.

The data are broken down by economic activity of the enterprise applying for a patent. For the classification by economic activity the Dutch Standard Industrial Classification (SIC 2008) is used. The data give an indication which branches are (most) innovative. Additionally, a breakdown by enterprise size class is available.

Data available from: 2011

Status of the figures:
The figures from 2011 to 2020 are final. The figures for 2021 are revised provisional. The figures for 2022 are provisional.

Changes as of February 27, 2026:
Provisional figures for 2021 and 2022 have been updated.

Changes as of 31 July 2025:
The figures for 2020 and 2021 have been adjusted and the provisional figures for 2022 have been added. Additionally, the series has been expanded with figures for 2011 and 2012.

When will new figures be published?
Mid 2026 the figures for 2021 and 2022 will be updated and new figures for 2023 will be added. Beginning of 2027 the figures for 2022 and 2023 will be updated.

Description topics

EPO-Patent

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.

applicants: Enterprises who applied for a patent 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.

applications: 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.

Applicants with foreign cooperation: Enterprises who applied for a patent at the European Patent Office (EPO) in the period observed, where the Dutch applicant has cooperated with a foreign entity for any of its applications.

Applications with foreign cooperation: Patent applications at the European Patent Office (EPO) in the period observed, where the Dutch applicant has cooperated with a foreign entity for this specific application.

OCNL-Patent

A patent that is granted by NL Patent Office (OCNL), a division of Agency NL, is only valid in the Netherlands.

Patent applicants: Enterprises who applied for a patent at the Netherlands Patent Office (OCNL), a department of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), in the period observed.
A patent that is granted by NL Patent Office (OCNL), a division of Agency NL, is only valid in the Netherlands.

Patent applications: Patent applications at the Netherlands Patent Office (OCNL), a department of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), in the period observed.
A patent that is granted by NL Patent Office (OCNL), a division of Agency NL, is only valid in the Netherlands.

Applicants with foreign cooperation: Enterprises who applied for a patent at the Netherlands Patent Office (OCNL), a department of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), in the period observed, where the Dutch applicant has cooperated with a foreign entity for any of its applications.

Applications with foreign cooperation: Patent applications at the Netherlands Patent Office (OCNL), a department of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), in the period observed, where the Dutch applicant has cooperated with a foreign entity for this specific application.