Number of applications at a ten-year high

There was a substantial increase in the number of national patent applications compared to 2022, and the number of applications was at a ten-year high.

Uusimaa, Tampere Region and North Ostrobothnia were the top regions when measured with the number of applications. All three regions produced more applications than in 2022 and accounted for 77 per cent of the total number of national applications submitted to the PRH.

Despite the growing number of applications, processing times remained in line with service promises.

Increase in the number of national patent applications

The number of national patent applications increased: In 2023, they totalled 1,745 compared to 1,447 in 2022.

Finalised national patent applications

The number of finalised national patent applications decreased: In 2023, the PRH processed 1,561 applications compared to 1,731 in 2022.

Processed PCT applications (PCT/RO)

There was a decrease in the number of international PCT applications processed at the PRH: In 2023, they totalled 733 compared to 855 in 2022.

Conducted novelty searches (PCT/ISA)

The number of conducted novelty searches decreased: In 2023, they totalled 208 compared to 316 in 2022.

European patents validated in Finland (EPO)

The number of European patents validated in Finland decreased: In 2023, they totalled 3,894 compared to 4,473 in 2022.

Finalised utility model applications

The number of finalised applications for utility models remained at previous year’s levels: In 2023, they totalled 250 compared to 259 in 2022.

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New on­line ser­vices now op­er­a­tional

At the start of the year, we in­tro­duced the new sys­tem for pro­cess­ing patent ap­pli­ca­tions, which had been un­der prepa­ra­tion for sev­eral years. In ad­di­tion to the pro­cess­ing sys­tem, we also up­dated our on­line ser­vices and as a re­sult, our cus­tomers now have ac­cess to new in­for­ma­tion, In­dus­trial Prop­erty Gazette, doc­u­ment and pay­ment ser­vices.

The de­vel­op­ment and in­tro­duc­tion of the pro­cess­ing sys­tem was made pos­si­ble by the co­op­er­a­tion net­works co­or­di­nated by the Eu­ro­pean Patent Of­fice and the Eu­ro­pean Union In­tel­lec­tual Prop­erty Of­fice. The PRH also utilises the op­por­tu­ni­ties of­fered by the co­op­er­a­tion in the de­vel­op­ment and up­dat­ing of sys­tems.

Uni­tary patent sys­tem en­tered into force

The uni­tary patent sys­tem en­tered into force on 1 June 2023, mark­ing the end of decades of work to over­haul the Eu­ro­pean patent sys­tem.

The uni­tary patent will of­fer a new al­ter­na­tive to the Eu­ro­pean patent. The uni­tary patent sys­tem pro­vides patent pro­tec­tion for an in­ven­tion in all coun­tries in the sys­tem on a one-stop-shop ba­sis. A to­tal of 17 EU coun­tries have joined the uni­tary patent sys­tem and the uni­tary patents are granted by the Eu­ro­pean Patent Of­fice.

The PRH has made thor­ough prepa­ra­tions for the in­tro­duc­tion of the uni­tary patent. We have pro­vided our cus­tomers with ex­ten­sive in­for­ma­tion on the op­por­tu­ni­ties and im­pacts of the new patent ap­pli­ca­tion sys­tem.