EPO opposition data offers a useful view into where competitive pressure is building. Unlike patent filings, oppositions show which patents competitors consider important enough to challenge after grant.
An analysis of more than 14,000 EPO opposition actions from 2021 to 2026 shows that opposition activity is concentrated in a few industries, companies, and repeat opponents. Medical and pharmaceutical patents remain the most challenged category, while tobacco and nicotine-related technologies have emerged as a major opposition hotspot.
The data also shows that specialist opposition entities and experienced European patent firms are playing a visible role in shaping outcomes.
This article looks at where opposition activity is concentrated, who is driving it, and what these patterns suggest about competitive behaviour in Europe’s patent landscape.
EPO Opposition Activity Snapshot (2021-2026)
| Metric | Value |
| Total Oppositions Analyzed | 14,000+ |
| Time Period | 2021-2026 |
| Most Opposed Industry | Medical & Pharmaceutical |
| Most Opposed Company | Philip Morris Products Sa |
| Most Opposed Patent | EP2959894B1 (23 Opponents) |
| Most Active Opponent | Strawman Limited |
| Most Active Law Firm | Hoffmann Eitle |
The opposition activity is not spread evenly across all technology areas. It is clustered around sectors where patents can directly affect market access, product positioning, and freedom to operate.
In other words, oppositions are not just legal events. They often point to patents and technologies competitors see as commercially important.
What Do EPO Patent Opposition Trends Reveal?
Opposition activity was highest in 2021, declined in 2022 and 2023, and then rose again in 2024. The lower numbers for 2025 and 2026 should be read carefully, as opposition data can lag because challenges depend on patent grants and publication timelines.
The main takeaway is not that opposition pressure has disappeared. Instead, the data suggests that competitors continue to focus their challenges on patents that matter commercially.
Key Insight: Opposition volumes may move up and down year by year, but high-value patents continue to attract attention.
Which Technology Sectors Face the Most EPO Patent Oppositions?
Medical and pharmaceutical technologies received the highest number of oppositions by a wide margin. This is expected because patent exclusivity in pharma can directly affect market entry, pricing, and commercial opportunity.
The second important signal is the strong presence of tobacco and nicotine-related technologies. This shows that competition in heated tobacco, aerosol generation, and nicotine delivery systems is increasingly being shaped through patents.
Key Insight: The most opposed sectors are those where patents can directly influence market access and competitive advantage.
Opposition Activity Shows Where Patents Can Block Market Access
Patent filings show where companies are innovating. Oppositions show where competitors feel a granted patent could limit their market access.
That is why the concentration in pharmaceuticals and nicotine-delivery technologies matters. These are sectors where a single patent can affect product launches, licensing pressure, or freedom to operate.
So, high opposition activity is not just a legal signal. It is a market signal showing where competitors believe patent rights are worth challenging.
Get a Custom EPO Opposition Analysis
This study shows where EPO opposition activity is concentrated. However, the more valuable question is how opposition activity is affecting your company, competitors, and technology area.
If you want to identify which patents are attracting challenges, which competitors are filing oppositions, which technology areas are facing pressure, and where opposition activity may indicate future market risk, we can help you uncover those signals.
Our team analyzes EPO opposition activity to convert complex patent challenge data into actionable competitive intelligence for patent, R&D, and business strategy teams.
Who Are the Top Opponents in EPO Patent Opposition Proceedings?
The leading opponents include operating companies, generic pharmaceutical manufacturers, and specialist opposition entities.
Companies such as Teva, Sandoz, Philip Morris, and Nicoventures show how oppositions are used to challenge patents that may limit future business opportunities. The presence of Strawman Limited also shows that opposition activity is becoming more specialized.
Key Insight: EPO oppositions are no longer driven only by direct competitors. Specialist entities are now an important part of the opposition landscape.
Three Opposition Strategies Are Emerging
The top opponents show that companies are using EPO oppositions in different ways.
For generic pharma players like Teva and Sandoz, oppositions can help clear patents that may delay market entry. In nicotine and tobacco technologies, oppositions are often used to challenge competing patent positions in fast-moving product areas. Then there are specialist entities like Strawman Limited, where opposition itself appears to be the core focus.
Together, this shows that EPO opposition is no longer just a legal reaction after grant. It is becoming a practical tool for reducing patent barriers, testing competitor portfolios, and protecting market options.
Which Law Firms Are Most Active in EPO Patent Opposition Proceedings?
A small group of European patent firms appears frequently in opposition proceedings.
Firms such as Hoffmann Eitle, Maiwald, D Young & Co, and Elkington & Fife stand out in the data. Their presence suggests that opposition work is concentrated among firms with deep EPO opposition experience.
For patent owners, this matters because defending a patent in opposition requires a different skill set from getting it granted.
What it revels: The same firms appear repeatedly in opposition proceedings, suggesting that companies facing high-value patent challenges often rely on specialized opposition expertise rather than traditional prosecution support
Who Are the Most Opposed Patent Owners in Europe?
Many of the most opposed companies are also among the largest patent holders within their respective industries.
Philip Morris Products SA received the highest number of oppositions in the dataset, followed by companies such as BASF, Procter & Gamble, JT International, Nestlé, Nicoventures, and Henkel.
A high number of oppositions does not automatically mean a company has weak patents. In many cases, it suggests the opposite: competitors are paying attention because those patents cover commercially relevant technologies.
What it revels: Being heavily opposed can be a sign that a company’s patents matter to the market.
Which Patents Were Opposed the Most From 2021-2026?
| Patent | Oppositions | Assignee |
| EP2959894B1 | 23 | Novartis AG |
| EP2478907B1 | 20 | Janssen Oncology Inc |
| EP2234617B2 | 20 | Janssen Pharmaceutica NV |
The most opposed patent in the dataset, Novartis’ EP2959894B1, attracted 23 opponents. That level of challenge usually indicates that multiple market players viewed the patent as important enough to contest.
Highly opposed patents often sit close to commercially sensitive areas. They may influence market entry, product strategy, or future freedom to operate.
Key Insight: The most challenged patents often point to the strongest areas of competitive pressure.
Looking Beyond the Trends?
This analysis highlights the companies and technology domains attracting the most opposition activity. The next step is understanding which patents are being challenged, who is behind those challenges, and what it means for your competitive landscape.
Fill out the form to access a deeper EPO opposition analysis.
Conclusion
EPO opposition activity from 2021 to 2026 shows that patent challenges are concentrated around specific industries, companies, and patents.
Medical and pharmaceutical technologies continue to dominate opposition activity, while tobacco and nicotine technologies have become a notable area of patent conflict. The data also shows the growing role of specialist opponents and experienced European patent firms.
For companies tracking competitive activity, EPO opposition data offers a practical way to identify which technologies and patent positions competitors consider important enough to challenge.
