Belgium continues to perform strongly in European patent applications
The latest figures from the European Patent Office (EPO) once again confirm Belgium’s strong position within the European innovation landscape. In 2025, the EPO registered more than 200,000 patent applications for the first time, further underlining Europe’s competitiveness as a technology region. Belgian companies and inventors submitted a total of 2,548 applications. Although this represents a slight decrease compared to the record year 2024, Belgium remains firmly anchored in the European top 10 when looking at applications per capita.
Belgian innovative strength reflected in top applicants
Belgium remains strongly represented in the European rankings. Major applicants such as imec, Syensqo and Umicore once again dominate their respective fields.
At Centexbel, we are also proud that two of our members, Unilin and Ontex, are once again among the top 10 Belgian patent applicants this year. Their continued investments in research and development highlight the importance of innovation for the manufacturing industry and for the textile and plastics sectors.
Universities and research centres as innovation accelerators
Research institutions continue to play a crucial role in the Belgian ecosystem. KU Leuven ranked second in the European university ranking in 2025, alongside EPFL and just behind DTU. Other institutions such as VITO and VIB are also among the most active applicants.
Regional dynamics: Flanders and Walloon Brabant leading the way
Flanders remains the main driver of Belgian patent applications, accounting for 68.6% of the total. However, the strongest growth was recorded in Walloon Brabant, where the number of applications increased by 44.2%, confirming the region as a rapidly growing innovation hub.
Adoption of the Unitary Patent continues to rise
The Unitary Patent, active since 2023, is gaining importance rapidly across Europe. Belgian companies and institutions choose this system remarkably often: with an adoption rate of 44.4%, Belgium is well above the European average.
At Centexbel, we continue to support our members in their innovation and development projects. The strong results of Belgian companies — and especially of our own members in the top 10 — demonstrate the importance of collaboration, knowledge sharing and continuous technological progress.
Unilin and Ontex
We’re proud that our members Unilin and Ontex are once again ranked among Belgium’s top 10 patent applicants.
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