Territoriality principle

Cost factor: International patent applications are expensive—fees, translations, and legal costs quickly add up and make worldwide patenting very costly

Cost factor:

International patent applications are expensive—fees, translations, and legal costs quickly add up and make worldwide patenting very costly

Strategic selection

The goal is to achieve maximum protection against imitation with as few patents as possible.

Buyer markets

Patents not only secure manufacturing, but also sales and imports; protection in sales markets is often central.

Manufacturing countries

Protection can be effective if competitors cannot easily relocate production sites. Less effective in flexible industries (e.g., textiles), as production can be easily relocated.

Standardized products

In global industries with identical products, protection in a few core markets is sufficient.

Relevance of trade fairs/events

In some industries (luxury goods, fashion), patent protection in countries with key trade fairs can be useful. However, trade fair protection loses its importance when products can be marketed globally directly online.

Combination strategies

Protection often makes sense through a mix of sales markets, production countries, and leading markets.

Protective effect of buyer markets

Manufacturers avoid markets with patent protection, as distribution systems would otherwise become complicated and expensive.