Corporate and legal - Facts and figures

Intellectual property

IP-intensive industries generate around 45% of EU GDP and directly employ 63 million people.
96% of Europeans agree that protecting IP is important.
Companies applying for IP right protection employ more people than companies without IP right. Firms registering IP rights have around 28% higher revenue per employee and pay on average 20% higher wages than firms that do not register such rights.
In 2016, imports of counterfeit and pirated products into the EU amounted to EUR 121 billion, which represents up to 6.8% of EU imports, against 5% of EU imports in 2013

(Source: EPO-EUIPO)

Out of 21 million SMEs in Europe, 5.2 million are single-member/one-shareholder companies. (Source: EUR-lex)
The costs of setting-up a subsidiary can vary in 20,000 EUR if processed ‘abroad’ or at ‘home’. (Source: EUR-lex)
Out of 28 member states, only 16 allow the set-up of a company to be carried out online. (Source: European Parliament)

Consumer expenditure represents 56% of EU’s GDP. (Source: europa.eu)
The potential of the EU single market for consumers is estimated to generate benefits of 58 billion euros per annum. (Source: European Parliament)
Only 11% of Europeans shop online in another member state whilst 40% do it in their own member state. (Source: European Commission)