Mapping the Contours of European Union Health Law and Policy

Abstract

This paper explores the new field within European social policy of European Union (EU) health policy. My principal aim is simply to identify the main constituent parts of this emerging new policy field. Although a number of social and political scientists have drawn attention to an emerging European Union health policy, this area has as yet been the subject of little attention from the legal perspective. Therefore, this paper will focus on the legal construction of the EU's health policy, paying particular attention to the ways in which legal concepts and mechanisms are contributing to the contours of this new field of EU activity.