Content
Statistics around patents, trademarks and Co.
91 million euros - the value of counterfeit food and drinks seized last year
Last year, Interpol seized counterfeit food (22,000 tonnes) and drinks (850,000 litres) worth a total of 91 million euros. Product piracy no longer only affects watches, handbags or clothing, but also food. Dangerous counterfeits are increasingly ending up on our plates. Counterfeit food can harbour considerable health risks. They have been proven to contain dangerous substances such as methanol, mercury, pesticides and insecticides. In addition, the production and distribution of counterfeit food is often part of organised crime. For more information, see 'EUIPO warns: Beware of counterfeit food'.
More numbers of the month
In 2024, a total of 620 IP applications relating to musical instruments were filed at the DPMA: 37 patents, 27 utility models, 70 designs (class 17) and 486 trade marks claiming class 15. With the motto "IP and Music - Feel the Beat of IP", World IP Day on 26 April underlines the importance of IP rights in the world of music.
Press release on World IP Day
In 2024, the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) recorded a total of 3,951 design applications, which corresponds to an increase of 4.7 percent compared to the previous year. Up to 100 individual designs can be filed with a single design application. The total number of designs also rose to 29,962, which represents an increase of 2.4 percent. This means that a trend reversal can now be assumed for designs after a sustained decline.
Annual statistics 2024
Germany scores just 62.8 out of 100 points in the European Commission's new ‘She Figures Index’, putting it in 23rd place out of 27 EU countries. The index measures gender equality in research and innovation - while Sweden is at the top with 87.6 points, the German result shows a clear need to catch up.
There is a particular need for action in the area of research participation (gender distribution in publications, patent applications, approval of research proposals). In this area, Germany scored only 56.6 out of a possible 100 points.
Innovative Frauen im Fokus
At the beginning of January 2025, we recorded the three millionth electronic filing at the DPMA. From the first two submissions in 2003 to the first million in 2019 and the second million in June 2022 - the development shows how successful and fast the electronic system is growing. We are excited about the future and are already looking forward to the fourth million! Here you can find out more about and the advantages of electronic filing at the DPMA.
DPMAdirekt
Germany generated eleven percent of all grid-related international patent families (IPFs) worldwide between 2011 and 2022. This corresponds to half of the patent activity of the entire European Union and shows Germany's central role in innovations in the field of electricity grids. Germany was particularly strong in physical grid technologies, where it accounted for 14 percent of global IPFs, and in smart grids with ten percent. This is the result of a new study by the European Patent Office (EPO) and the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Study "Patents for enhanced electricity grids" (by EPA und IEA)
German universities are the frontrunners in Europe: 24.1 per cent of all academic patents in Europe that were registered with the European Patent Office (EPO) between 2000 and 2020 originate from Germany. This corresponds to 25,822 patent applications and shows the central role of German science in the innovation landscape. Overall, academic patents now account for 10.2 percent of all applications of European origin filed with the EPO - a significant increase over the last two decades, as a study by the European Patent Office (EPO) with the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI) shows.
German universities lead the way in European patent applications (in German)
This year we are celebrating 130 years of trademark protection. The “Law for the Protection of Trade Marks” from 1894 laid the foundation for modern trade mark protection as we know it today. Together with Germany's number 1 trademark - “Perkeo” - around 895,000 German trademarks are currently valid.
130 years of trade mark protection in Germany
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) recently published the Global Innovation Index 2024. Germany was ranked 9th out of 133 economies assessed - and thus fell slightly by one place compared to the last two years. In view of this, DPMA President Eva Schewior has called for more dynamism in securing Germany's innovative capacity. “The Global Innovation Index currently confirms that Germany still has a strong and very effective innovation system,” said the DPMA President. “However, the study also clearly shows that we have difficulties with the digital transformation of the economy and society. If we lose touch here, our ability to innovate will suffer considerably. The consequence would be a significant decline in our social prosperity.”
Press Release
The "unbreakable" RG 28 kitchen appliance, mopeds from Suhl and the "Erika" typewriter - these GDR design classics and many more can now be searched online. The Landespatentzentrum Thüringen ("PATON") at Ilmenau University of Technology has digitized the GDR's design collection as part of the DFG project "Indexing and Digitization of the GDR's Design Treasure". These IP documents are now available in our DPMAregister database, where a total of 14,270 GDR designs can be searched.
Search in DPMAregister
On the occasion of this summer's major sporting events, the European Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has launched the “Play fair” campaign, which we at the DPMA support. After all, the trade in counterfeit sports goods has serious consequences: According to EUIPO calculations, the damage across the EU amounts to a total of 850 million euros per year - equivalent to 11 percent of the industry's total turnover. In addition to loss of sales and the destruction of jobs, inferior copies also damage brand value.
"Play Fair Campaign"
In 2018, we launched the electronic dispatch of documents in IP procedures with DPMAdirekt. This removed the media discontinuity in communication between the DPMA and its applicants. Since then, more than one million "dispatch packages" (office actions and letters) with the electronic IP application have already been sent to users by secure electronic means. To date, the DPMA has reduced the number of printed pages by 35 per cent. And despite rising postage costs, these have also been reduced considerably.
If you look at the ecological balance sheet, you can see that several tonnes of wood, millions of litres of fresh water and energy have been saved that would have been required for material production and transport. Overall, CO2 emissions have been avoided. As a user of our services, you decide whether you would like to receive your mail conventionally by post or electronically after registering. We are pleased that we have been able to contribute to a "greener public authority" together with you.
E-filing of IP applications
The total damage caused to the German mechanical and plant engineering industry by product and brand piracy amounts to 4.1 billion euros per year, compared to 6.4 billion euros two years ago. Every two years, the German Engineering Federation (VDMA) examines the effects of product piracy and counterfeiting, with a positive trend emerging. Two years ago, 72 percent of respondents reported being affected by illegal replicas, copies or other counterfeits, whereas now the figure is 46 percent. According to the , this decline is due to the increased efforts and activities of companies against product and brand piracy. Despite this positive trend, almost every second company still suffers from product piracy. It therefore remains important for manufacturers and authors to take preventative measures and enforce their rights. Our new brochure “Enforcing intellectual property rights - counterfeiting, pirated copies, betrayed trade secrets: How to take action against it”.
Press release of 14 may 2024
Pictures: DPMA
Last updated: 24 June 2025
Not only protecting innovations
Social Media