Dangerous Interpretations of the Precautionary Principle and the Foundational Values of the European Union Food Law : Risk Versus Risk

SummaryI. A SIMPLE IDEA FOR THE REGULATION OF RISK: IN CASEOF DOUBT, BE CAUTIOUS ............................................................ 2II. CLARIFYING CONCEPTS ............................................................... 3III. TECHNOLOGY'S COLLATERAL EFFECTS ..................................... 7IV. MANUFACTURED RISKS, SCIENTIFIC UNCERTAINTY, AND RISKASSESSMENT................................................................................. 9V. THE CONCEPTS OF RISK AND HAZARD IN A LEGAL CONTEXT . 13VI. THE ORIGIN OF THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE ANDITS BASIS .................................................................................... 15VII. DIFFERENT VERSIONS ................................................................ 17VIII. WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE ININTERNATIONAL LAW? .............................................................. 19IX. A NEW GENERAL PRINCIPLE OF LAW IN THEEUROPEAN UNION ..................................................................... 27A. The Precautionary Principle in EU Hard Law and Soft Law. 27B. The Application of the Precautionary Principle by theEuropean Court of Justice and the Court of First Instance ...... 32X. WHY IS THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE SOCONTROVERSIAL? ................................................................... 38