Industrial application

Industrial application constitutes a condition of patentability of the invention which requires that its subject matter can be manufactured or used in any kind of industry, including agriculture.

The industrial application requirement in patent law dates back to the early 19th century, and was first introduced in France in 1791, with the Le Chapelier law. This law stipulated that to obtain a patent, the invention had to be "useful" and "susceptible of application in industry".

Over time, the industrial applicability requirement has been adopted by other countries, notably the UK, the USA and Germany. It has become a fundamental requirement for obtaining a patent in many legal systems, including international agreements such as the TRIPS Agreement.