Abstract

In the member states of the European Union (EU) social security and healthcare systems have become important institutions. The welfare state – of which social security and healthcare represent the core and cornerstones – might even be considered to be one of the characteristics of these European states and societies. Yet these systems are not only very important institutions; they are also dynamic ones. During the last decades they have in fact been subject to far-reaching changes, in their practical operation but even more so in the reasoning about them. One of the discoveries has been the possible relevance of prevention and preventive action. But before dealing with the ins and outs of prevention we need some further clarifications on social protection, its major instruments, and logics