• The SPTO closes 2016 with larger numbers of applications in all categories
• More countries sign PPH agreements
• SPTO participation in upcoming trade fairs
• First Latin American Bulletin on Technological Information in the Wind Energy Sector

The SPTO closes 2016 with larger numbers of applications in all categories

Once again, the most relevant figure in the closing statistics for 2016 for the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (SPTO) is the increase in applications for Industrial Designs, which rose by 8.51% over 2015, from 1,927 to 2,091.

With regard to Trademarks, in 2016 the SPTO received 51,938 applications for National Trademarks (2.41% more than in 2015) and 7,348 for Trade Names (1.75% less than in 2015). If National Trademarks and Trade Names are taken together, 1.88% more applications were received than in 2015, continuing the rising trend seen that year.

For Inventions, the increase in 2016 over 2015 amounted to 0.94%, a very positive figure considering the changing trend in comparison with previous years. In 2016, 5,259 applications for inventions were received, as opposed to 5,210 in 2015. This growth was mainly in Utility Models, which rose by 4.04% (2,422 applications as against 2,328 the previous year). There was also a much smaller drop in applications for Patents (1.56%, from 2,882 to 2,837 applications).

The greatest increases in Patent applications in 2016 were seen in the Autonomous Communities of Asturias, the Valencian Community, Andalusia, the Canaries and Cantabria, which recorded increases of 36.36%, 24,76%, 14.48%, 14.29% and 11.11%, respectively.

Note: These are provisional data as of 10.01.2017 provided by the SPTO Statistics and Research Department.