In 2012, the European Patent Office received 258 000 patent applications. This represents a 5.7% increase over 2011 (244 000) and sets a new record. The top five positions in 2012 are once again held by the US (24.7%), Japan (19.9%), Germany (13.4%), China (7.3%) and Korea (5.5%). With 63% of the filings, a clear majority came from non-European countries (2011: 62%), while the share from the 38 EPO member states was 37% (2011: 38%). For details : www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2013/20130117.html   AND BEYOND… A new WIPO report (Geneva, December 11, 2012) shows that while the global economy in 2011 continued to underperform, intellectual property (IP) filings worldwide kept growing strongly. Sustained growth in IP filings indicates that companies continue to innovate despite weak economic conditions.   It is reported that China’s Patent Office overtook the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in 2011 to become the largest patent office in the world, after having surpassed the Japan Patent Office (JPO) in2010. In the 100 years before 2011, only three patent offices – Germany, Japan and the United States - had occupied the position of largest office.   World Intellectual Property Indicators 2012 show that patent filings worldwide grew by 7.8% in 2011, exceeding 7% growth for the second year in a row. Similarly, utility models, industrial design and trademark filings increased by 35%, 16% and 13.3%, respectively.   In 2011, the total number of patent applications filed worldwide exceeded the 2 million mark, while the estimated number of patents granted approached the 1 million mark.   The field of digital communication saw the highest average annual growth rate (+8.1%) between 2006 and 2010. Filings for pharmaceuticals have continuously declined since 2007. Computer technology accounted for the largest number of applications (126,897) filed worldwide.   Patent applications for four energy-related technologies – fuel cells, geothermal, solar and wind energy - increased by 8% in 2010 to 34,873. Residents of Japan filed the largest number of applications relating to solar energy and fuel cell technologies, while residents of Germany and the US accounted for the largest numbers of applications relating to geothermal and wind energy, respectively. For details : http://www.wipo.int/freepublications/en/intproperty/941/wipo_pub_941_2012.pdf   Writer: Charlotte Federhen   