The Fragility of the Borders of Precautionary and Preventive Principles

Some legal principles have a close conceptual boundary between them so that researchers sometimes become confused in applying such principles. In this article,using the descriptive-analytic method,it has been tried to recognize the conceptual boundaries of precautionary and preventive principles from each other and to explain that the precautionary principle concerns scientific uncertainty from effects of the act and is exercisedbefore the start of the act. Whereas the preventive principle is applicable in the stage before the start of the act too, it is exercised when there is no scientific certainty to effects of the act. Therefore, in recognizing the boundaries of these principles, in spite of the longitudinal relationship existing between the two principles, there is a fragile boundary between them due to the existence of similar mechanisms and legal consequences.