...
[1] Source of the data of WIPO: http://ipstats.wipo.int/ipstatv2/searchForm
[2] Source of the data of EPO: http://www.epo.org/about-us/annual-reports-statistics/annual-report/2014.html
[3] Source of the data on international (under the Madrid system) trade mark applications: http://www.wipo.int/madrid/en/statistics/annual_stats.jsp?type=EN&name=3
The Hungarian applicants have the possibility to file their applications initiated under international or regional cooperation through the HIPO. In 2014 they filed 129 PCT applications (at the same time European patent applications), 11 European patent applications, 25 Community and 276 international trade mark applications this way.
Main figures of the activities of Hungarian applicants abroad (2010-2014)
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 |
PCT applications | 172 | 142 | 162 | 163 | 158 |
European patent applications | 192 | 168 | 188 | 196 | 190 |
The number of protections valid in Hungary, which should be taken into account by Hungarian organisations in their research and development and economic activities, increased almost in every title of protection. Due to the increase of the number of European patents valid in Hungary, the number of valid patents grew above 20 thousand. A significant increase can be observed in respect of every title of Community industrial property protections.
PATENT ACTIVITY
The number of international patent (PCT) applications was more than 213 thousand in 2014, which may result requests for extension to the territory of Hungary in a later phase of the procedure, when entering the national phase. The number of actual national requests deriving from earlier PCT designations was 31 in 2014. Since Hungary’s accession to the European Patent Convention in 2003 foreign patent applicants have submitted their increasing requests for validating their European patents in Hungary rather by choosing the European route. The number of these requests was around 3000 (3323), similarly to the previous years. This sudden stop of the continuous increase observed in the previous years may be explained by the waiting attitude of the applicants due to the introduction of the European patent with unitary effect expected in 2016.
Main figures of patent cases aimed at Hungary and filed following the national route – from Hungary and directly from abroad – under
international cooperations (2010-2014)
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | ||
Cases filed under international cooperation |
| ||||||
PCT designations | 164 341 | 182 437 | 195 334 | 205 270 | 213 568 | ||
Granted European patents designating HU | 32 803 | 40 372 | 47 485 | 53 486 | 56 021 | ||
Filing of the translation of the text of European patent (validation) | 2 635 | 3 218 | 3 342 | 3 485 | 3 323 | ||
Filing of the translation of European claims | 8 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 8 | ||
Cases filed following the national route |
| ||||||
Domestic applications | 646 | 660 | 689 | 641 | 546 | ||
Foreign applications filed following the national route | 44 | 33 | 54 | 60 | 42 | ||
Requests for actual national procedure deriving from earlier PCT designations | 11 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 31 | ||
Total number of applications filed following the national route | 701 | 698 | 748 | 708 | 619 | ||
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 |
PCT applications originating from Hungary | 172 | 142 | 162 | 163 | 158 |
Of them: by using receiving office services of HIPO | 150 | 131 | 146 | 138 | 129 |
European applications originating from Hungary | 192 | 168 | 188 | 196 | 190 |
Of them: by using receiving office services of HIPO | 89 | 25 | 16 | 15 | 11 |
The number of patent applications filed following the national route was 619 in 2014, which means a 12% decrease compared to the previous year. The application activity of domestic customers touched the lowest point; it declined by 15% compared to 2013. This was caused by, besides the well-known low IP awareness, especially the failure in announcing the R&D tenders and the tenders to support IP protection. Although, the number of PCT applications that entered into the national phase was rather low, their number increased again (from 7 to 31). 66% of the applications filed following the national route belonged to individuals, 34% of them to institutions. It is an unfavourable phenomenon that the number of domestic patent applications filed by institutions diminished by a further 9% compared to the previous year; it was only 185, which is unacceptably low.
Breakdown of applicants filing applications for the validation of European patents in Hungary by countries of origin (2014) 
Sweden, Belgium, Austria, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, France, Switzerland, United States of America, Germany
Most of the right holders filing applications for the validation of their European patents in Hungary had their place of business in Germany (22.5%) and in the USA (21.6%).
At the end of 2014 the number of patents valid in Hungary exceeded twenty thousand/20 000 for the first time since 1991. The number of valid patents increased by almost 7% in 2014, which is due to a more than 13% growth in the number of valid European patents. The amount of patents granted following the national route was 4695, that of the valid European patents was 15 731. The number of valid European patents has increased by 2.5 times in the past six years, which is more than three times larger than the number of valid patents granted following the national route. The ratio of Hungarian right holders – with 943 patents – is 4.6%.
Number of patents valid in Hungary (2010-2014)
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 |
Valid patents granted following the national route | 5 688 | 5 227 | 4 769 | 5 237 | 4 695 |
Valid European patents | 8 165 | 10 163 | 11 930 | 13 893 | 15 731 |
Valid patents in total | 13 853 | 15 390 | 16 699 | 19 130 | 20 426 |
Regarding the technical fields, at the end of 2014 – similarly to the previous year – the pharmaceutical patents were in the lead; both with respect to patents granted following the national route, and the validated European patents this technical field headed the list: 15% of all valid patents in Hungary concentrated on this field. This was followed by other machinery with a 4.6% ratio and chemistry (without pharmaceuticals) with 3.5%.
PLANT VARIETY PROTECTION
In 2014 the HIPO received 30 new applications for plant variety protection. At the end of last year 97 such protections were valid. Last year the Community Plant Variety Office received 3626 Community applications for plant variety protection, which is more by 10% than in the previous year. At the end of last year more than 22 thousand Community protections were valid.
SUPPLEMENTARY PROTECTION CERTIFICATE
A Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) extends the term of patents of medicinal or plant protection products. In 2014 the HIPO received 60 new applications for SPC. At the end of the year 145 such protections were valid. Out of this, in 78 cases the SPC, while in 67 cases still the basis patent was valid. 30% of the SPCs valid at the end of the year were granted in 2014.
...
Classification1, preclassification2 (if applicable), reclassification3 activities; classification systems used (e.g., International Patent Classification (IPC)); matters concerning indexing of patent information
The Adavanced Advanced level of IPC is used.
Development of the CPC classification system completed in 2014. The Office has introduced CPC classification system from 1 January 2015. CPC has been replaced ECLA.
...
Legal status information (kind of information, coverage, medium, etc.)
Lagal Legal status information (not certified) can be accessed in E-dossier: http://epub.hpo.hu/e-nyilvantartas/?lang=HU
...
Accessible databases:
HUNTÉKA Onlene Online Catalog: http://hunteka.asp.hunteka.hu/hipo/index.jsp;jsessionid=0C33EADC538177502CCB010CBBB3EF80?lang=en
...
The Gazette of Patents and Trademarks was in the centre center of interest of users in 2014 as well: 3 058 530 pages were downloaded, which is more by 16% than in the previous year.
...