OHIM and EPO: one in three European jobs created by IPR
A study published on September 30 has found that one in three jobs in the EU is generated by IPR-intensive industries.
The paper, titled Intellectual Property Rights intensive industries: contribution to economic performance and employment in Europe, said that 35 percent of all employment in the EU, some 77 million jobs, comes from industries that have a “higher than average use of IP rights.”
The study was carried out by the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM), acting through the EU Observatory on Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights, in partnership with the European Patent Office (EPO).
It defines IPR-intensive industries as those that register more IPR per employee than other industries, or where IPR is an intrinsic characteristic of the industry’s activity. It covers 321 of these industries in total.
The study is the first of its kind to measure the impact of IP rights on the European economy. Among other factors, it considers GDP, employment, wages and trade, and finds that about half of all EU industries are IPR-intensive.
“It is designed to provide evidence that can be used by policymakers in their work, and to serve as a basis for raising awareness of Intellectual Property among Europe’s citizens,” the paper said.
The study finds that about 40 percent of the EU’s total economic activity (€4.7 trillion annually) is generated by IPR-intensive industries, which include engineering, computers and pharmaceuticals.
About 90 percent of the EU’s trade with the rest of the world is accounted for by IPR-intensive industries.
European Commission Internal Market and Services commissioner Michel Barnier said of the study: “I am convinced that IP rights play a hugely important role in stimulating innovation and creativity, and I welcome the publication of this study. It will help us to further underpin our evidence-based policy making.
“What this study shows us is that the use of IP rights in the economy is ubiquitous: from high-tech industries to manufacturers of sports goods, games, toys and computer games, all are making intensive use of not just one, but often several types of IP rights.”
EPO president Benoît Battistelli said: “This report shows that the benefits of patent and other IPRs is not just economic theory. For innovative companies intangible assets have become extremely important.
“Especially for SMEs (small- to medium-sized entities), but also research centres and universities, patents often open the door to capital and business partners. In order to remain competitive in the global economy, Europe needs to encourage even further the development and use of new technology and innovations.”
António Campinos, president of OHIM, said: “This study is the result of a detailed collaboration between experts drawn from different agencies and countries, using a transparent and replicable methodology. It tackles the fundamental question of the extent to which IPR-related industries matter to jobs, GDP and trade in the EU.
“We now have a clear answer. They do matter, they matter a lot.”
