Preemptie

Preemptie is the Dutch term for preemption, the act of taking action before something happens in order to prevent it or to seize control of a situation. The word derives from Latin praememptio, formed from prae- “before” and emere “to buy,” reflecting the idea of seizing an opportunity before others can.

In computing, preemptie refers to preemptive multitasking, where the operating system can interrupt a running process to schedule higher-priority work. This contrasts with cooperative multitasking, in which tasks yield control voluntarily. Preemption improves responsiveness and helps meet deadlines, but adds complexity and overhead. Most modern general-purpose operating systems use preemptive multitasking, with real-time variants offering stricter timing guarantees.

In law and business, preëmptie denotes the right of first refusal or the preemptive right to acquire an asset when it becomes available. It is used in corporate share issuances, real estate transactions, and other contractual arrangements to protect existing holders against unwanted transfers or dilution.

In international relations and security policy, preemption can describe a strategy of acting before an anticipated threat, including unilateral preemptive strikes. The legal and ethical justification of such actions is debated, with some doctrines distinguishing imminent threat from preventive war. Policy discussions weigh preemption against principles of collective security and international law.

Related topics include the general concept of preemption, the right of first refusal, and preëmption in various legal and economic contexts.