Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
5067708 European Economic Review 2007 28 Pages PDF
Abstract

I examine the joint patent designation-renewal behavior of the European Patent Office (EPO) patent applicants during 1978-1996, using both nonparametric techniques and a parametric model. The European patents granted through the EPO are substantially more valuable than those through the national route. Value distribution of patents is highly skewed, and even more so for the EPO patent families. The value of patent rights increases with the economic size of the country and exhibits modestly increasing returns to scale. Model estimation also reveals significant institutional differences across EPO member countries in patent protection.

Related Topics
Social Sciences and Humanities Economics, Econometrics and Finance Economics and Econometrics
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