Patent applicants and applications; technology field (WIPO concordance)

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Technology area 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)
All technology areas 820 3,935 70 430 900 1,450 10 15
I Electrical engineering 167 1,273 24 133 144 256 5 5
1 Electrical machinery, apparatus, energ 78 369 16 28 71 113 5 5
2 Audio-visual technology 24 75 2 2 21 27 0 0
3 Telecommunications 22 109 4 7 11 11 0 0
4 Digital communication 28 196 7 28 10 11 0 0
5 Basic communication processes 10 63 2 6 6 11 0 0
6 Computer technology 65 467 9 63 42 74 0 0
7 IT methods for management 15 47 1 14 10 10 0 0
8 Semiconductors 19 150 2 11 11 24 0 0
II Instruments 196 1,242 18 97 159 238 3 3
9 Optics 39 181 3 5 21 31 0 0
10 Measurement 87 391 7 73 71 105 1 1
11 Analysis of biological materials 35 51 5 11 26 26 0 0
12 Control 30 70 5 8 22 28 0 0
13 Medical technology 81 654 6 8 62 75 2 2
III Chemistry 292 1,034 43 197 187 294 2 4
14 Organic fine chemistry 42 166 8 59 5 8 2 3
15 Biotechnology 68 140 12 13 21 39 0 0
16 Pharmaceuticals 64 160 12 28 22 35 1 3
17 Macromolecular chemistry, polymers 48 153 10 13 14 15 0 0
18 Food chemistry 47 137 7 12 32 50 0 0
19 Basic materials chemistry 62 243 15 90 22 38 0 0
20 Materials, metallurgy 33 69 5 14 18 23 1 1
21 Surface technology, coating 42 74 2 4 27 35 0 0
22 Micro-structure and nano-technology 9 13 0 0 4 5 0 0
23 Chemical engineering 71 133 8 20 49 66 1 1
24 Environmental technology 45 82 5 8 45 52 0 0
IV Mechanical engineering 402 866 26 40 481 697 7 6
25 Handling 101 159 3 2 115 165 1 1
26 Machine tools 30 67 2 1 32 40 0 0
27 Engines, pumps, turbines 39 67 5 9 41 54 2 2
28 Textile and paper machines 26 56 1 1 12 13 0 0
29 Other special machines 146 275 12 19 173 248 2 2
30 Thermal processes and apparatus 48 120 1 1 60 72 0 0
31 Mechanical elements 59 86 6 6 52 61 1 1
32 Transport 83 137 7 6 101 149 3 2
V Other fields 158 385 5 98 227 259 0 0
33 Furniture, games 37 86 2 2 46 48 0 0
34 Other consumer goods 32 78 1 5 33 32 0 0
35 Civil engineering 102 230 3 92 157 187 0 0
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 the technology field the invention relates to, according to the WIPO technology concordance table. This does not necessarily have to be the same area in which the applicant is economically active (SIC).

If a patent application relates to multiple technology fields, it is counted in full for each separate technology field. Due to this method the total number of patents for the subcategories are usually higher than the overarching category to which they belong. For example, a patent application relating to subcategories ‘1 Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy’ and ‘2 Audio-visual technology’ counts separately for both, but is only counted once under the overarching category ‘I Electrical engineering. This method of counting provides insight into how many patent applications can actually be attributed to the individual technology fields and which technology fields occur more frequently within the overarching categories.

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 December 8, 2025:
None, this is a new table.

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.