The European Patent Office (EPO) recently released its 2025 Technology Dashboard Report, which shows that the total number of global patent applications accepted by EPO has reached a new record high of 201,974, marking a year-on-year increase of 1.4%. Among these applications, China filed 22,031 patent applications, a year-on-year increase of 9.7%, elevating the country to third place globally for the first time. Furthermore, China has demonstrated the fastest growth rate among the top five applicant countries, accounting for 10.9% of the global total. Digital communication stands as the field with the highest number of Chinese patent applications, while transportation and semiconductors have witnessed the fastest growth rates, with year-on-year increases exceeding 30% each. This signifies that Chinese enterprises are accelerating their technological layout and global influence in the European market.

Among all the enterprises that submitted patent applications to the European Patent Office in 2025, South Korea's Samsung ranked first with 5,337 applications, followed by Huawei with 4,744 applications, ranking second globally. LG of South Korea and Qualcomm of the United States ranked third and fourth with 4,464 and 2,939 applications, respectively. Additionally, CATL entered the top ten globally with 1,305 applications, marking the first time that two Chinese enterprises have made it to the top ten.

In 2025, the field with the highest number of patent applications received by the EPO was computer technology, with a total of 17,844 applications, marking a year-on-year increase of 6.1%. The core driving force behind this is the explosive growth of artificial intelligence technology. In the future, patent portfolios centered around large AI models, general artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and computing infrastructure will become the core of competition among countries and serve as the "engine" for future economic growth.

The number of patent applications in the field of digital communication has seen the largest increase, rising by 11.4% year-on-year to reach 17,802. As 5G evolves towards 6G, the competition for Standard Essential Patents (SEP) will become a core hotspot.

Transportation is one of the fastest-growing fields for patent applications in China, with a year-on-year increase of over 30%. This growth is attributed to the global energy transition and the widespread adoption of smart vehicles. Technologies such as power batteries, electric drive and control systems, automotive-grade chips, and intelligent driving systems will continue to be hotspots of competition.

The semiconductor sector is also leading the way with a growth rate exceeding 30%. AI chips, power semiconductors, advanced manufacturing processes, and packaging technologies will be key areas for breaking through global supply chain constraints and achieving technological autonomy.

Enterprises can leverage their unique business characteristics to steadily advance patent portfolio development in their areas of strength, while keeping a close eye on technological progress and patent trends in frontier fields such as artificial intelligence and semiconductors. When entering the European market, they should intensify research into the local patent landscape, make prudent use of relevant systems to improve planning efficiency, and prioritize compliance and risk prevention. It is also essential to focus on cultivating high-quality patents, realizing patent value through diverse approaches, and engaging in global technological competition and cooperation with greater stability.