China Led Patent, Trademark Filings in 2013, Says WIPO Report

Global patent filing increased 9 percent in 2013, said a World Intellectual Property Organization report released Tuesday. China’s patent filing increased 26 percent in 2013, reaching 25 percent of all patent filings worldwide, said the report. The U.S. had the second highest number of patent filings, which grew 5 percent in 2013, said WIPO. The European Patent Office had a 0.4 percent decline in patent filings; Japan’s filings slowed by 4 percent. Trademark filings grew by 6 percent globally in 2013. WIPO said China’s 14 percent growth in trademark filings was the highest globally; such filings increased by 13 percent in the U.S.