The year 2025 marks a turning point in the dynamics of industrial property in France. According to figures published by the INPI (National Institute of Industrial Property), patent and trade mark filings increased significantly after several years of stabilisation. These numbers confirm not only a recovery in innovation protection activity, but also an intensification of IP strategies among French companies.
In a context of macroeconomic uncertainty, the INPI’s 2025 figures nevertheless demonstrate renewed confidence in intangible assets as genuine drivers of competitiveness and differentiation.
The Key Figures for 2025
In detail, the data published by the INPI for 2025 highlight several significant developments across key areas of intellectual property:
- 16,807 patent applications, representing an increase of +8.7%, bringing volumes back above pre-pandemic levels.
- 103,645 trade mark applications, up +14.1%, the strongest growth among IP titles.
- 5,304 design applications, a volume that remains almost stable compared to 2024.
- 6.2 million formalities processed via the “Guichet Unique” (Single Business Formalities Portal), reinforcing the INPI’s role within the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
- 4 new Geographical Indications (GIs) approved, bringing the total number of GIs in force to 25.
A Recovery in Patent Filings
These figures confirm a recovery in the intellectual property sector. After several years of plateau, patent filings recorded notable growth (+8.7%), exceeding pre-health crisis levels.
What do these figures reflect? Several elements can be identified:
- A resumption of R&D investment by French companies;
- Renewed innovation capacity, even in sectors affected by economic uncertainty;
- Broader adoption of patents as a strategic tool for protecting intangible assets.
Logically, for IP experts, this implies an increase in filing volumes. Greater demand for precise prior art searches, detailed comparative analyses, and close monitoring of high-value cases translates into a higher level of professional activity.
Trade Marks: Sustained Growth and Registration Momentum
Patents are not the only beneficiaries of this strong year. With more than 103,000 filings, trade marks recorded growth of +14.1% in 2025. As the most pronounced increase among industrial property rights, this progression reflects several phenomena:
- Intensified corporate branding strategies;
- Greater awareness of the trade mark as both a legal and commercial asset;
- Increased reliance on national filings prior to international expansion.
For IP attorneys and specialised firms, this also results in a higher volume of formalities to process, along with enhanced opportunities for strategic advisory services in trade mark portfolio management.
Designs: Stability Despite the Overall Dynamic
One area, however, does not benefit from the same momentum as patents and trade marks: designs. Design filings remained stable, with 5,304 applications recorded in 2025.
This stability may be interpreted as:
- A more mature and structurally stable market for aesthetic creations;
- A prioritisation by economic actors of patents and trade marks as strategic rights.
For firms and practitioners, this confirms the continued relevance of design-related services, but within a framework where quantitative growth does not significantly alter qualitative challenges.
The Central Role of the Single Business Formalities Portal
If one factor may have contributed to the 2025 figures, it is likely the “Guichet Unique” (Single Business Formalities Portal). With more than 6.2 million procedures carried out by users through this INPI platform, which centralises business formalities and IP-related acts, the system appears to play a key role in several respects:
- Simplifying administrative procedures for entrepreneurs;
- Integrating IP awareness from the business creation stage;
- Enhancing visibility for IP right holders.
Geographical Indications: A Structuring Development
Among the key data points, the INPI also reports the approval of four new Geographical Indications in 2025, bringing the total number of GIs in force to 25.
While less striking in terms of volume, these figures are equally significant in structural terms. Although GIs are often associated with food products, their recent extension to certain industrial and craft products strengthens their relevance for businesses. They constitute an additional protective mechanism within the available IP toolkit, while enhancing the valorisation of specific local know-how.
What These Figures Mean for IP Practitioners
Let us now consider the practical implications of the INPI’s 2025 figures for those working daily in intellectual property.
For practitioners, firms, and experts, last year’s momentum translates into several concrete consequences.
The increase in filings means more cases to manage, with each right requiring heightened vigilance and thorough analysis. As at European level, IP firms and practitioners are witnessing market expansion, alongside a growing necessity to evolve accordingly.
Moreover, practitioners must begin integrating more powerful tools, incorporating technologies capable of automating, accelerating, and strengthening expertise, without losing the human dimension, which remains an essential factor in any effective IP strategy.
