The World Intellectual Property Organization ("WIPO") has released its 2017 World Intellectual Property Indicators Report ("Report") outlining territorial rankings on global intellectual property activities during 2016. The Report provides statistics for patents, trademarks, industrial designs, plant varieties and geographical indications. Turkey recorded fast growth in patent and industrial design during 2016, but a slight decrease in trademark and plant variety applications.

According to WIPO data, record level of 3 million patent applications were filed in 2016. China showed particularly strong growth with 1,300,000 patent applications. The Report notes that on a global scale, the demand for other intellectual property rights has also increased. 2016 trademark applications increased by 16.4%, as well as design applications increased by 10.04%. Plant variety applications also increased by 8.3% at the highest level in last 15 years. For the first time, the Report includes the number of geographical indications in force in the designated territories.

Noteworthy points about Turkey in the Report include:

  • Turkey's global application filing rankings in 2016 are:
    • 23rd for patents.
    • 10th for trademarks.
    • 6th for industrial designs.
  • Turkey recorded fast growth in patent applications among low and middle-income countries, with 17.2% increase.
  • 8,364 patent applications were filed in Turkey during 2016, with 1,764 patents granted.
  • 3,517 utility model applications were filed during 2016, with 2,441 applications granted.
  • Patent applications from Turkey were mainly filed for pharmaceuticals.
  • Turkish trademark applications decreased by 0.4% in 2016. The most trademark applications were made within the business services sector, followed by agriculture, research and technology.
  • 55 collective mark and 48 certification mark applications were made in Turkey.
  • 277,870 trademark applications were made in Turkey, with 257,054 trademarks registered.
  • Industrial design applications in Turkey decreased by 13.4% in 2016. The most design applications were made within the furniture and household goods sectors. 59,209 design applications were made.
  • 15,240 plant variety applications were filed around the world in 2016. Turkey made 193 filings decreasing by 16.5%.
  • There are 201 geographical indications in force in Turkey.

Please see this link for full text of Report.

Information first published in the  MA | Gazette, a fortnightly legal update newsletter produced by Moroğlu Arseven.

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