We live in disturbing times. War, climate change, pandemic: Several epochal crises are challenging us at the same time. We at the German Patent and Trade Mark Office are not excluded from this, of course. We too are shocked by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. As a modern, cosmopolitan service provider for IP rights, we, together with our customers and partners around the world, are part of a network based on international cooperation. The development of innovations, the creation of trade marks and designs also means competition. This is a good thing, because competition, as we understand it, is constructive, productive, peaceful and geared towards progress and prosperity. Our ideas of international cooperation stand in the greatest possible contrast to Russia’s destructive actions.

You cannot solve every crisis or every problem by technical means. However, where technology can make a contribution, we see ourselves as part of the solution. Because we protect your innovations! And we tackled this task with vigour in the past year. Our examiners granted patents for 21,113 inventions in 2021. This is almost a quarter more than in the same period of the previous year. In total, our colleagues concluded 48,489 patent procedures — the largest amount in more than 30 years. We also saw record numbers in the trade mark area: 68,597 new national trade marks were entered in the register by our experts — more than ever before.

We are very hopeful that innovation will contribute to solving global problems, not least with regard to climate change. Two central topics in this context are climate-friendly mobility and power generation from renewable energy sources. In this annual report, we have explored how patent applications are developing in these areas. A dynamic innovation landscape is indeed necessary in the field of renewable energy sources in order to become, as soon as possible, less dependent on fossil fuels and thus foster the energy sovereignty of Germany and Europe. How Germany is doing overall in the global innovation ecosystem explains Carsten Fink, Chief Economist of the World Intellectual Property Organization, whom we interviewed for this report.

But our annual report does not only offer interesting stories on technical IP rights. You will also learn, for example, how trade marks, known as use-based trade marks, can be effective without registration. And product designer Nadja Roth explains from her point of view why registered designs are so important for technical devices too.

I hope that this annual report will be an exciting read for you. Stay confident, curious and healthy despite all the crises!

Cornelia Rudloff-Schäffer
President of the German Patent and Trade Mark Office