The objective of an initial literature study is to develop a theoretical framework.

Several topics are the object of our literature study: the conceptual, legal and judicial history of the Precautionary Principle, resemblances and differences between prevention and precaution, ethical theories founding the Precautionary Principle, Precautionary approaches, the nature of scientific knowledge, characteristics of Risk Societies, the meaning of trust in democratic institutions, models of interaction between science and policy, the judicial context in which enterprises have to cope with risks, the internal competences of enterprises and their instruments and procedures for risk prevention.