# European patent applications reach nearly 8,000 in 2025, with strong growth in the Netherlands

> The European Patent Office (EPO) reports "particularly strong growth" in the Netherlands and Spain, as applications across Europe rose from about 3,200 in 2006 to almost 8,000 in 2025.

Economy · published 2026-10-23 06:01 · https://nlnow.nl/a/european-patent-applications-more-than-double-netherlands-grows-fast/

The number of patent applications across Europe grew from about 3,200 in 2006 to almost 8,000 in 2025, according to the European Patent Office. The office speaks of "particularly strong growth" in the Netherlands and Spain.

Germany, France and the United Kingdom remain the most important countries, but their combined share has fallen over recent decades. The EPO says this does not point to a decline of the front-runners but to "a broader European research base".

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