Legislative and Jurisprudential Considerations Regarding the Restriction of the Free Movement of Goods on the EU Internal Market from the Viewpoint of Public Health Protection

In the context of a globalized economy, a functioning internal market of goods is an essential component of the current and future prosperity of the European Union. Taking into account that the harmonized legislation of the European Union has enshrined the principle of free movement of goods in concrete terms and for specific products, such as, for example, medicinal products, this article examines the restrictions and prohibitions which, even if raise barriers to free trade, they defend important objectives, such as human health. In the context of the current major global developments, the article aims to analyze how the reasons justifying the limiting of the free movement of goods, imposed by the principle of precaution for reasons of environmental and human health protection, have been used over time. In all EU policies, the concept of public health is inextricably linked to sustainable development and the effective protection of the health and life of citizens cannot be conceived without the greening of free movement of goods, more and more visible in recent years. At the same time, new innovative products and technical progress involve new challenges, and a national regulatory framework that ignores these developments may soon become an obstacle to cross-border trade.