Intellectual property (IP) filings at the EUIPO reached record levels in the first half of 2026, with total EU trade mark and EU design applications reaching 166,214, up 4.7% on the same period last year. The increase was driven by strong demand for EU trade marks, while EU design applications remained broadly stable.

With 104,263 applications received between January and June 2026 – an 8.4% increase on the same period in 2025 – EU trade mark filings continued its upward trend, surpassing the previous record set in 2021.

Growth was mainly driven by demand from within the EU Single Market, as filings from EU Member States rose by 14.6%. France recorded the highest growth (17.4%), followed by Germany (15.2%), Poland (13.3%), Italy (11.8%) and Spain (11.5%). As a result, the share of applications coming from the EU increased from 57.4% in 2025 to 60.7% in 2026.

In terms of total amount of applications, China remains the largest filer, despite a 12.4% decline in filings in the first half of 2026. Within the EU, Germany is on top, followed by Italy, Spain and France.

Applications for EU designs (EUDs) totalled 61,951 in the first half of 2026, marking a slight decline of 1% compared with the same period in 2025.

This decrease was reflected in eight of the top ten filing countries, including China (down 3.3%), the United States (down 6.8%), and the United Kingdom (down 13.3%). However, filings from EU Member States helped offset the overall decline, increasing by 1.6%. Spain recorded particularly strong growth of 28%, while Germany, the leading EU filer, grew by 2.9%.

In terms of overall EU design applications, China continues to retain the top spot, accounting for 28.5% of all filings, followed by Germany (14.3%), Italy (9.1%), USA (8.3%) and France (4.3%).

The first half of 2026 marked the first applications for EU Craft and Industrial Geographical Indications (CIGIs), following the launch of the new EU protection system for craft and industrial products on 1 December 2025.

A total of 81 applications have been received so far, with Portugal accounting for the largest share, at 42 applications, followed by France with 25 and Slovakia with 10.

These figures confirm the continued strong demand for the EU intellectual property system and show that businesses across the EU and beyond continue to rely on it to protect their innovation, creativity and product identity.

Source: European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), original release date: 2026-07-07, original link: https://www.euipo.europa.eu/en/news/eu-trade-marks-push-ip-filings-to-a-record-high-in-the-first-half-of-2026

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