Intellectual property (IP) statistics is one of the main indicators of innovation and technological development of a country/national economy. In this regard, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) presents annual comparative analysis of worldwide IP statistics entitled World Intellectual Property Indicators. The data sources include the WIPO Statistics Database and statistics within the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), Madrid System for International Trademark and Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs. Some international organizations such as World Bank, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, OECD are also in a position to be a source of information for WIPO. As a rule, WIPO includes last year data in report for current year due to the time needed for collecting statistical information on a national level.

1. The number of patent applications (data coverage is 98% of world’s total);
2. The number of utility models applications (data coverage is 99% of world’s total);
3. The number of trademark applications (data coverage is 95% of world’s total);
4. The number of industrial design applications (data coverage is 99% of world’s total).

WIPO makes its calculations in both absolute (total number of patent applications, utility models, ect.) and relative figures (e.g. per 1 billion GDP, per 1 billion R&D expenditure). Moreover, WIPO uses the World Banks income classification of countries. The countries included in WIPO report are divided according GNI per capita into the following groups:

1)      Low-income countries (%1,025 or less);

2)      Lower middle-income countries ($1,026-$4,035);

3)      Upper middle-income countries ($4,036-$12,475);

4)      High-income counties ($12,476 or more).

The Republic of Belarus belongs to the group of upper middle-income countries.

There are two ratings of IP activities in WIPO report – Overview of total IP activities (resident activity + activity abroad) and Overview of resident IP activity (resident activity only). In turn, each of these ratings includes three sub-ratings: Patents, Trademarks and Industrial Designs.

The Republic of Belarus is ranked 51^th by total IP activities and 36^th by resident IP activity. Comparing to the last year, the country has worsened its position as much as 2 points  by total IP activities (49 → 51), however improved it as much as 5 points by resident IP activity (41 → 36).

Belarus holds a high position on the following indicators:

­   - Belarus takes 12^th place by the number of resident patent applications per 1 billion GDP (14.3 applications). The first places in the rating are occupied by Republic of Korea (100.7 applications), Japan (73.4), China (41.8). The USA takes 7^th place (18.7 applications), the Russian Federation – 15^th (12.8). Belarus has entered the world top 20 and left behind such developed countries as the  Netherlands, Luxembourg, Austria, France and Great Britain. It’s worth to mention that in the top-20, countries have been selected if their GDP exceeded 15 billion PPP dollars and if they had over 100 resident patent applications. Belarus took 6^th and 8^th places in 2008 and 2010 respectively by the mentioned indicator.

­   - Also, Belarus takes 14^th place by the number of resident and non-resident utility model applications (1,090). The first places in the rating are occupied by China (585,000 applications), Germany (16,000), the Russian Federation (13,200). Ukraine takes the 5^th place (10,400 applications), Czech Republic – 12^th (1,646). Belarus has left behind Poland, Austria, Hong Kong and France. Our country took 14^th place in 2008 and 12^th place in 2010 by this indicator.

­   - Finally, Belarus occupies 11^th place by the number of utility model grants (952 grants). The first places in the rating are occupied by China (408,000 applications), Germany (14,000), the Russian Federation (11,000). Ukraine takes the 4^th place (10,200 applications), Czech Republic – 10^th (1,545).

For your information: IP profile of Belarus (according to the WIPO 2012, data for 2011):

- Total number of patent applications – 1,871

- Number of resident patent applications – 1,725

- Number of non-resident patent application – 146

- PCT international applications – 14

- Number of patents in force – 4,842