The SPTO closes the year offering the increase by 3.3% on the Distinctive Signs applications as the most positive result

Different data about the applications that have been received

The SPTO provisional statistics for the 2017 show highly different data about the applications that have been received. Even though numbers should be analysed in their context, at a glance there is a series of figures that stand out.

As a highlighted point we find the increase of Distinctive Signs applications. Regarding 2016 the climb has been of a 3.34%, rising from 59,491 to 61,478. If we distinguish between Trade Marks and Trade Names we can see that the first ones have remained almost steady (dropping slightly from 52,103 to 52,029, what means a 0.14% minor) and the second ones have experimented a significant rise (by 27.9%, from 7,388 to 9,449 applications).

In relation to Industrial Designs, during 2017 the SPTO has received 1,884 expedients, a 10.11% less than the previous year (when 2,096 files were processed). However, if we consider the number of designs (instead of expedients), there has been an increase by 22.3% (from 18,035 to 22,064).

Inventions have suffered a similar fall, this time by 10.92%. In 2017 4,700 applications have been processed, while in 2016 were 5,276. This decrease has been caused essentially by the drop on patent applications, which declined from 2,849 to 2,285 (a 19.8% minor). On the contrary, Utility Models have remained almost stable, going slightly down from 2,427 to 2,415 (what means a small drop by 0.5%). Nevertheless, regions of La Rioja, Islas Baleares, Navarra, Aragón and Castilla y León have not followed this negative trend, what is more, they have had an increase by 41.18%, 22.22%, 18.37%, 4.79% and 1.12% respectively on the number of patent applications.

Note: Provisional data from January 10th 2017 provided by the SPTO Statistics and Studies Service.