IPRs: a strong benefit to European economy

A joint report released by the EPO and the EUIPO analyses the importance of IPRs for the EU economy between 2014 and 2016 4 October 2019

A joint report released by the EPO and the EUIPO analyses the importance of IPRs for the EU economy between 2014 and 2016

The European Patent Office (EPO) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) have recently released a joint report – updating and extending the previous study released in 2016 – providing a broad, improved assessment of how industries that make intensive use of intellectual property rights (IPRs) contribute to EU economies. The study provides comprehensive and robust data, as well as a solid evidence base for policymakers.

How intellectual property rights strongly benefit the European economy

Industries that make intensive use of intellectual property rights (IPRs) generate 45% of economic activity in the European Union;
IPR-intensive industries employ up to one in three people in the EU;
These industries pay 47% higher wages than other sectors

The industries that make intensive use of intellectual property rights (IPRs) such as patents, trademarks, industrial designs and copyright generate 45% of GDP (EUR 6.6 trillion) in the EU annually and account for 63 million jobs (29% of all jobs). A further 21 million people are employed in sectors that supply these industries with goods and services.

IPR-intensive industries also account for most of the EU's trade in goods and services with the other regions of the world (81%). The EU as a whole had an overall trade surplus in IPR-intensive industries of approximately EUR 182 billion in 2016, counterbalancing a small deficit in non-IPR intensive trade.

The full study and summaries are available here below for further information.