SPTO Statistics Closing

We will try to explain some things beyond cold numbers.

On the previous number we looked over the SPTO provisional statistics for 2017. Now we have the final results so we will try to explain some things beyond cold numbers.

At the inventions section, past April 1st the Patent Law 24/2015 became effective, a strong protection system for national inventions which hardens the required conditions for patent right grants. Therefore this new law, which guarantees the correct use of the patent system, acts in a way as a dissuasive factor for the presentation of those patents which aim is not its exploitation or its placing on the market for society benefit.

It is even more illustrative to make a comparison moth-on-month. During the first quarter of the year, with the previous Patent Law 11/86 still applicable, the applications underwent a significant increase (+75%). This situation was essentially caused by those who wanted to benefit from the conditions of the old normative text, with a less strict granting process. With the former law every patent was granted even if it did not meet the novelty and inventive activity required by law if the applicant wanted so. Proof of this fact is that March 2017, the last month before the normative change, was the month in which more patents were submitted to the SPTO (688 applications) since there is record.

Regarding Utility Models, even if the new Law 24/2015 includes slight changes on its processing and granting, there was a huge rising in the first quarter of the year (22.7%). However, studying the figures for the whole year there was a fall by 0.5%.

For more information on statistics, particularly about Trademarks and Designs for Regions, click here.