Launch of the infographic '2018 SPTO figures at a glance'

Overview of the different IP modalities at national level

The Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (SPTO), as the national entity in charge of guaranteeing and promoting the respect for Industrial and Intellectual Property rights, has the task of spreading updated information on their evolution. For this reason, our Office has recently published the interesting and explanatory infographic '2018 SPTO figures at a glance' which provides the data registered during 2018 for the different IP modalities at national level (Patents, Utility Models, Trademarks, Commercial Names and Industrial Designs).

Doubtlessly, the most positive result of the 2018 was the increase by 5% of the Distinctive Signs (Trademarks and Commercial Names) regarding 2017 (growing from 61,492 to 64,525). If we distinguish between both modalities, we can see that while Trademarks stayed more or less steady (increased by 0,5%) Commercial Names climbed by 29% (from 9,451 to 12,238).

Regarding Industrial Designs, there was a decline of a 17% in the number of designs submitted and of a 11% in the number of expedients (18,346 designs were submitted as part of 1,685 expedients). However, to understand these data we should remember that design applications rose significantly in 2017 as a consequence of their promotion in a campaign addressed to companies.

During 2018 4,278 applications for inventions were submitted (1,578 patents and 2,700 utility models). To compare these results to those of the previous year we should bear in mind that there was a change in patent legislation in 2017, so we should divide both legislative periods. The first quarter of 2018 was ruled by the new law (Law on Patents 24/2015) while the first quarter of 2017 was ruled by the old one (Law on Patents 11/1986). Comparing both periods, we can see that the plunged of invention applications reached the 40%. This substantial drop was caused by the great rise of applications in the previous months to the entry into force of the new law, essentially on March 2017. Nevertheless, if we analyze the applications submitted between April and December 2018 regarding the same period of 2017, there was a growth of a 13% in the number of applications, principally caused by the rocket of the utility models applications (by 22%, from 1,686 to 2,066).

The infographic includes not just the generic figures registered at national level, but also the data organized by regions (CC.AA. by its Spanish acronym), the nature of the applicant (public or private body), Technical Sectors with a higher number of National Patent applications, kinds of Products and Services with more National Trademarks submitted and main applicants considering the IP modality.

The document '2018 SPTO figures at a glance' can be consulted and downloaded at the following link: http://www.oepm.es/export/sites/oepm/comun/documentos_relacionados/Memorias_de_Actividades_y_Estadisticas/estadisticas/Infografias_2018.pdf
Although its data can be used without restriction, to do it you should mention the SPTO as the source.