This project looks into the impacts of the growth and globalization of emerging economic powers on the competitiveness of the member states of the European Union. The empirical investigations focus on anchor countries with high rates of economic growth and a rapid increase in their technological competence (Brazil, China, India, and South Africa). The research project is being conducted in the framework of an international consortium including research institutions from other industrialized countries (Italy, Sweden, UK) as well as developing countries (South Africa, India). The question on which it centers is whether, or with what dynamics, existing global production networks are developing into global innovation networks and what implications this will have for knowledge-based processes within the European Union.