A one horse town

In my posting last week [Pangloss strikes again] I looked to filing numbers at the European Patent Office.

A reader asks "Any idea why Netherlands has such a massive increase? Did some very prolific filers move their registered offices there?".  Well, Dutch filing numbers decreased from 2010 to 2012 by more than they have increased from 2012 to 2013, so it is not totally sunny yet.

And one prolific filer did not change registered office, but did take breath. From the following table showing European applications made over 2010-2013:-

	2013	2012	2011	2010
Philips	1839	1160	1759	1765
% change from previous year	59%	-34%	0%
Non-Philips	3987	3903	3852	4169
% change from previous year	2%	1%	-8%
Netherlands	5826	5063	5611	5934
% change from previous year	15%	-10%	-5%

it is evident that:-

• Philips provides innovation that matters to the Netherlands;
• 2012 was important;
• Philips is back on track.

It is up to guesswork as to how many of the 2013 filings represent deferred 2012 filings. 

If anyone from Philips is reading, would they care to comment?