Taiwan IPO presents statistics of patent and trademark applications in 2017

　According to TIPO’s patent and trademark applications statistics report, TIPO had received a total of 73,791 applications for invention, utility model, and design patents in 2017, which represent a 2% yearly increase.  Among the overall patent applications, those for invention patents grew by 5%.  The same growth occurred to trademark applications to reach a new peak for the past five years with a total of 83,802 applications filed in 2017.  

　

　Breakdown by nationality of patent applicants, the overall patent applications in 2017 comprised 40,835 cases filed by Taiwan nationals and 32,956 cases by foreign nationals, both of which saw a minor increase from 2016.  Among the applications filed by Taiwan nationals, those filed for invention patents amount to 18,199 cases, accounting for the biggest increase by 8% in a year.  Foreign nationals’ applications also grew in those for invention patents at 27,923 cases and those for utility model patents at 1,206 cases, both of which rose by 4% in a year, while there had been 3,827 applications filed by foreign nationals for design patents in 2017.  On the other hand, if analyzed by country (region), Japan continued to win the crown in filing the most applications for all three kinds of patents in Taiwan with 13,850 applications, followed by the US with 7,312 applications and China with 2,674 applications.  

　In trademark, if analyzed by nationality, trademark registration applications filed by Taiwan nationals totaled 61,215 cases, while those filed by foreign nationals, 22,587 cases in 2017, representing their respective growth at 6% and 4% from 2016.  Besides, analysis by filing countries (region) shows that China stayed firmly at No. 1 both in number of applications and growth rate with 4,830 applications and a 13% rise.  Japan surpassed the US to snatch the second spot by filing 3,892 applications at a 6% increase rate, while the US moved down with 3,684 applications.  It is noticeable that four of the top five filing countries are located in Asia, which indicates that their active trademark portfolios in Taiwan.  

　Thanks to TIPO’s implementation of accelerated examination measures, management of examination efficiency, and also the PPH pilot programs with other patent offices, the average first office action pendency for invention patent applications are shortened to less than 9 months, and the total disposal of trademark applications now takes only around 5 months, the lowest point for the past five years.  Also, pending applications are down to about 44,000 and 46,000 cases.  (February 2018)  

/CCS