Patent Cooperation Treaty Yearly Review – 2023

Patent Cooperation TreatyYearly Review 2023The International Patent System This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0International. © WIPO, 2023 First published 2023 The user is allowed to reproduce, distribute, adapt, translateand publicly perform this publication, including for commercialpurposes, without explicit permission, provided that thecontent is accompanied by an acknowledgement that WIPO isthe source and that it is clearly indicated if changes were madeto the original content. World Intellectual Property Organization34, chemin des Colombettes, P.O. Box 18CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland ISBN:978-92-805-3535-8(print)ISBN:978-92-805-3536-5(online)ISSN:2790-8933(print)ISSN:2790-8941(online) Suggested citation: World Intellectual Property Organization(WIPO)(2023).PCT Yearly Review 2023: The International PatentSystem. Geneva: WIPO. DOI:10.34667/tind.48061 Adaptation/translation/derivatives should not carry any officialemblem or logo, unless they have been approved and validatedby WIPO. Please contact us via theWIPO websiteto obtainpermission. Attribution4.0International(CCBY4.0) Cover: Damir Khabirov and BartlomiejWroblewski via Getty Images/iStockphoto For any derivative work, please include the following disclaimer:“The Secretariat of WIPO assumes no liability or responsibilitywith regard to the transformation or translation of theoriginal content.” When content published by WIPO, such as images, graphics,trademarks or logos, is attributed to a third party, the user ofsuch content is solely responsible for clearing the rights withtherightholder(s). To view a copy of this license, please visithttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Any dispute arising under this license that cannot be settledamicably shall be referred to arbitration in accordance withArbitration Rules of the United Nations Commission onInternationalTradeLaw(UNCITRAL)theninforce.Thepartiesshall be bound by any arbitration award rendered as a result ofsuch arbitration as the final adjudication of such a dispute. The designations employed and the presentation of materialthroughout this publication do not imply the expression of anyopinion whatsoever on the part of WIPO concerning the legalstatus of any country, territory or area or its authorities, orconcerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. This publication is not intended to reflect the views of theMember States or the WIPO Secretariat. The mention of specific companies or products ofmanufacturers does not imply that they are endorsed orrecommended by WIPO in preference to others of a similarnature that are not mentioned. Contents Acknowledgements5 Further information5 Key numbers for 20226 Special theme: The expansion of the PCT System over time7 A.Statistics on the international phase: PCT applications Highlights18Global trends in PCT applications24PCT applications by receiving office25PCT applications by origin26PCT applications by applicant type29Top PCT applicants31PCT applications by technology field35Participation of women inventors in PCT applications38Top clusters of inventors in PCT applications42Statistical table44 B.Statistics on PCT national phase entries47 Highlights47Global trends in PCT national phase entries50National phase entries by origin51National phase entries by office53Patent applications by filing route56Top applicants in foreign-oriented patent families58Statistical table60 C.Statistics on the performance of the PCT System63 Highlights63PCT applications by publication language and filing medium67PCT applications filed using ePCT68Timeliness in processing PCT applications by the International Bureau69Efficiency in processing PCT applications by the International Bureau70Receiving offices72International Searching Authorities75 Supplementary International Searching Authorities79International Preliminary Examining Authorities79PCT-Patent Prosecution Highway pilots81 Annexes82 A brief presentation of the Patent Cooperation Treaty82Data description85Acronyms86Glossary87PCT Contracting States91 Acknowledgements ThePCT Yearly ReviewwasproducedunderthedirectionofDarenTang(DirectorGeneral)intheIPandInnovationEcosystemsSectorledbyMarcoAlemán(AssistantDirectorGeneral)andsupervisedbyCarstenFink(ChiefEconomist).TheReviewwaspreparedbyKyleBergquist(DataAnalyst),CarstenFink,BrunoLeFeuvre(SeniorStatisticalAnalyst)andHaoZhou(DirectorofStatistics),allfromtheDepartmentforEconomicsandDataAnalytics. Thanks go to colleagues from the Patents and Technology Sector for providing valuable support,comments and suggestions on drafts at various stages. SamiahDoCarmoFigueiredoandJovanaStojanovićprovidedadministrativesupport.Gratitudeis also due to the Information and Digital Outreach Division for the editing and design and tostaff in the Printing Plant for their services. Finally, WIPO is grateful to national and regional patent offices for sharing their annual statistics. Further information Online resources The