Innovation and Market: Healthcare Contribution to the New European Socio-economic Order

In the current phase of the European integration process, healthcare is playing an increasing role as a central sector for the development of a new European socio-economic order based on solidarity and development. In this framework, the aim of this paper is to highlight the contribution of the European institutions to the development of an innovative approach of governing healthcare, which, in the wake of the European cultural tradition founded on the principles of freedom and solidarity, will be capable of exploiting, on the supply side, research and innovation and, on the demand side, the fundamental freedoms placed at the basis of the European integration process.