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Figure 0.17 Patent content: International Patent Class (IPC) distribution 1000 1200 200 400 600 800 0 A61 C12 C07 A23 C11 C08 B01 C09 C01 This general focus on high value products may reflect the relationship between the efforts and cost of patenting and the expected earnings. Patent situation: Europe vs. World A recent study142 compared the European patent situation in the fields of aquatic products (including aquaculture and other industries) and high value products (including health, cosmetic and food) to the world situation. The study indicated a high output of European academia but an overall dominance of Asia in the field of patent filing (main countries: Japan and China), especially in the field of high value products. This is in line with the results of the overall Blue Growth study, which stated that scientific publications on the discovery and the usage of new marine molecules have constantly risen. In a global view, Europe generates almost a third of the scientific publications (in particular the United Kingdom, France and Germany) whereas the USA publish approximately a quarter of the scientific papers related to this field. When comparing this scientific activity to the trend in patents publications, the difference is striking: Europe only represents 13% of patents filed in relation to new marine molecules, at the same level as the USA. Japan (28%) and China (13%) seem far more active in patent publications than in scientific publications. Top authors in this field are seldom listed as top patent assignees, regardless of whether this relates to institutions or individual researchers143 . As discussed, European academics still seem to prefer publication rather than patent filing or find others way for valorisation. 142 Thomson Reuter 2013 143 Data: Aquatic products top 10 priority countries: Japan, USA, patent cooperation treaty, China, Germany, Korea, European patent office, Canada, UK, Australia, with top 5 inventors: Bayer, Mitsubishi, Chugoku Toryo, Chinese Academy of Science, Nippon; EU research top 5: Fraunhofer, Consejo, CNRS, Univ. Madrid, Univ. Hull; World research top 5: all Chinese; in papers: all European; High value products top 10 priority countries: Japan, patent cooperation treaty, China, USA, Russia, Korea, European patent office, Germany, France, UK, with top 5 inventors: Univ. Kangnung Wonju, L’Oreal, Noevir KK, Nestle SA, Dokurit; EU research top 5: CNRS, Univ. Bashkir med, Consejo, Imperial College, Royal Holloway; World research top 5: all Chinese; in papers: USA, France, UK, Germany, Canada. Study in support of Impact Assessment work on Blue Biotechnology 115 Annex 6: Su Blue Biotechn potential and Table 0.8: Poten Sub-sector Health Cosmetics Food Energy 116

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