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

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.