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1 May 2018Patents

Overseas demand drives TM applications jump in Australia

Trademark applications received by IP Australia grew to a record high of 76,594 last year, driven by increased overseas demand.

This is according to the IP office’s annual report, “ Australian Intellectual Property Report 2018”, which noted that the 7% increase was fuelled by an increase of 25% in filings by non-residents (to 30,242 applications), while resident applications fell by 2%.

The US remains the largest source of applications (29%), while applications originating from China more than doubled in 2017 to 15%.

Retailer Aldi Foods was the top Australian applicant with 152 applications, while Samsung (113) and pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson (95) took the two top international spots.

In 2016, China overtook the US to become the most preferred destination for Australians filing trademarks abroad.

Patent applications in Australia grew by 2% in 2017 to 28,905, with non-residents accounting for 91% of the applications. US applicants filed around 46% of the total patents.

“Australian residents file more than three times as many patent applications overseas as they do in Australia, with the US the most popular destination (comprising 42% of total Australian applications abroad),” the report said.

Patricia Kelly, director general of IP Australia, said this was a positive trend.

“Australia is a small market compared to the rest of the world and it is encouraging to see Australian innovators moving to protect their innovations and pursue returns in world markets,” she added.

Nearly 23,000 patents were granted last year, a decrease of 4% from the previous year. Patent grants to Australian residents in 2017 fell by 17% compared with 2016, and now make up 5% of the total.

Medical devices (3,210 applications) and pharmaceuticals (3,330) were the two most popular technology fields for patent applications, growing by 8% and 7% year-on-year, respectively.

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