This book deals with lifetime contracts, a group of contracts which generally have the most important role to play in people's daily lives and existence. These contracts establish social long-term relations which, with regard to certain periods of the lifetime of individuals, provide essential goods, services, as well as labor and income opportunities for self-realization and participation. The book questions the general principles of European contract law built onto the classical model of sales contracts. It argues that a general life time contract should be integrated into the codification o