In 2024, more than 199,000 patents were filed in Europe. While not all inventions are registered – some are kept as trade secrets or reflect only minor improvements – patents provide an indirect measure of innovation and a sense of where technological efforts are focused.

For example, pharmaceutical patent applications surged during the Covid-19 period but are now declining. Meanwhile, computer technology (like AI fraud detection) and electrical machinery & energy (think fast-charging batteries, green tech) each saw over 15,000 applications and continue to grow compared to their five-year averages. This trend reflects a pivot toward AI infrastructure, batteries, and clean energy systems.