Expert Analysis

WIPO's bid to expand its headquarters has so far cost the organization more than SFr90 million, and led to five investigations and one criminal enquiry. Following the latest report, released by Ernst & Young in December, WIPO's managers want to draw a line under the affair. But some member states believe too many questions remain unanswered. Stéphanie Bodoni investigates

Will the introduction of post-grant opposition provide greater opportunities to patent challengers in the US? A letter from John P Sutton

Haier, the Qingdao-based appliance maker, certainly has ambition. While many domestic rivals focus their efforts on supplying China's 1.2 billion home-grown market and others manufacture products to be sold overseas under foreign trade marks, Haier has been rapidly building its brand in China and abroad and has set its sights on becoming one of the top three white goods companies in the world. Emma Barraclough spoke to legal affairs director Su Xiaoxi

Success in the global market can be a difficult goal to reach for small- and medium-sized companies in Europe, with many of them struggling to find the needed financial resources and EU funding to build on. So instead of going it alone, why not try out pooling resources with like-minded businesses? Ruth Taplin explains

Canada's highest court is considering two cases centring on the issue of famous marks. The outcomes of both, say Abraham Drassinower and Signe Silver, will hinge on the scope of protection such marks enjoy

Two recent news articles have taken opposite views of the impact that the Bayh-Dole Act has had on research institutions. But, say Ashley J Stevens and John Fraser, the facts speaks for themselves