Professor Stijn Smismans
Professor of Law
- Media commentator
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Overview
I am Professor of European Law and founder and Director of the Cardiff Centre for European Law and Governance. Prior to joining the School of Law and Politics in Cardiff, I have been a Senior Lecturer and Researcher at the School of Sociology of the University of Trento. I studied law at the Catholic University of Leuven and the Université Robert Schuman in Strasbourg, and I have a European Master in international relations from the Institut Européen des Hautes Etudes Internationales in Nice and a PhD from the European University Institute in Florence. I have been a Marie Curie Fellow at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques in Paris, Jean Monnet Fellow at the Robert Schuman Centre of the European University Institute and Visiting Fellow at the Department of Politics of the University of Bristol.
Publication
2024
- Smismans, S. 2024. Brexit and labour governance: authoritarian innovations in the United Kingdom. Journal of Industrial Relations 66(4), pp. 538-557. (10.1177/00221856241280452)
2020
- Pérez-Solórzano Borragán, N. and Smismans, S. 2020. The law and politics of exit from the EU. In: Cardwell, P. J. and Granger, M. eds. Research Handbook of the Politics of EU Law. Research Handbooks in Law and Politics Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 106-124.
2019
- Smismans, S. 2019. Protecting EU citizens in the UK from a Brexit ‘windrush on steroids’: a legislative proposal for a declaratory registration system. Available at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3433055
- Smismans, S. 2019. Ring-fencing citizens’ rights in the Brexit negotiations: legal framework and political dynamics. Available at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3324156
2018
- Smismans, S. 2018. EU citizens' rights post Brexit: why direct effect beyond the EU is not enough. European Constitutional Law Review 14(3), pp. 443-474. (10.1017/S1574019618000317)
2017
- Smismans, S. and Minto, R. 2017. Are integrated impact assessments the way forward for mainstreaming in the European Union?. Regulation and Governance 11(3), pp. 231-251. (10.1111/rego.12119)
- Smismans, S. 2017. The politicization of ex post policy evaluation in the EU. European Journal of Law Reform 19(1-2), pp. 74-96. (10.5553/EJLR/138723702017019102005)
- Smismans, S. 2017. Fundamental rights as a political myth of the EU. Can the myth survive?. In: Douglas-Scott, S. and Hatzis, N. eds. Research Handbook on EU Law and Human Rights. Research Handbooks in European Law series Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 13-34., (10.4337/9781782546405.00010)
- Smismans, S. and Stokes, E. 2017. Innovation types and regulation: the regulatory framing of nanotechnology as 'incremental' or 'radical' innovation. European Journal of Risk Regulation 8(2), pp. 364-386. (10.1017/err.2017.9)
- Smismans, S. 2017. Brexit. A separate citizens’ rights agreement under article 50 TEU. [Online]. EUtopialaw.
- Smismans, S. 2017. Risk regulation at risk. Brexit, Trump it, Risk it.. European Journal of Risk Regulation 8(1), pp. 33-42. (10.1017/err.2016.5)
2016
- Smismans, S. 2016. Regulatory procedure and participation in the European Union. In: Bignami, F. and Zaring, D. eds. Comparative Law and Regulation Understanding the Global Regulatory Process. Research Handbooks in Comparative Law Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 129–156., (10.4337/9781782545613.00014)
- Smismans, S. 2016. Constitutionalising expertise in the EU: anchoring knowledge in democracy.. In: Priban, J. ed. Self-Constitution of European Society: Beyond EU politics, law and governance. Abingdon and New York: Routledge, pp. 183-200.
- Bozzini, E. and Smismans, S. 2016. More inclusive European governance through impact assessments?. Comparative European Politics 14(1), pp. 89-106. (10.1057/cep.2015.11)
2015
- Smismans, S. 2015. Democratic participation and the search for an institutional architecture that accommodates interests and expertise. In: Piattoni, S. ed. The European Union: Institutional Architectures and Democratic Principles in Times of Crisis. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 88-111.
- Smismans, S. 2015. Policy evaluation in the EU: The challenges of linking ex ante and ex post appraisal.. European Journal of Risk Regulation 6(1), pp. 6-26. (10.1017/S1867299X00004244)
2014
- Pérez-Solórzano Borragán, N. and Smismans, S. 2014. The European Commission and political representation. A new interinstitutional perspective. In: Kroeger, S. ed. Political Representation in the European Union: Still democratic in times of crisis?. Routledge Advances in European Politics Routledge, pp. 125-142.
- Smismans, S. 2014. Regulating interest group participation in the European Union: changing paradigms between transparency and representation. European Law Review 39, pp. 470-492.
2012
- Pérez-Solórzano Borragán, N. and Smismans, S. 2012. Representativeness, a tool to structure interest intermediation in the European Union?. JCMS: Journal of Common Market Studies 50(3), pp. 403-421. (10.1111/j.1468-5965.2011.02236.x)
2011
- Smismans, S. 2011. Interest representation in the EU, is there any? A top-down perspective. In: Kröger, S. and Friedrich, D. eds. The Challenge of Democratic Representation in the European Union. Basingstoke: Palgrave, pp. 209-225.
- Smismans, S. 2011. From harmonization to co-ordination? EU law in the Lisbon governance architecture. Journal of European Public Policy 18(4), pp. 504-524. (10.1080/13501763.2011.560073)
- Smismans, S. 2011. European civil society and citizenship: complementary or exclusionary concepts?. In: Liebert, U. and Trenz, H. eds. The New Politics of Civil Society. Routledge Studies on Democratising Europe Vol. 6. London: Routledge, pp. 73-92.
2010
- Smismans, S. 2010. The European Union's fundamental rights myth. JCMS: Journal of Common Market Studies 48(1), pp. 45-66. (10.1111/j.1468-5965.2009.02041.x)
- Smismans, S. 2010. European constitutionalism and the democratic design of European governance: rethinking directly deliberative polyarchy and reflexive constitutionalism. In: Kaarlo Tuori, K. and Sankari, S. eds. The Many Constitutions of Europe. Edinburgh Centre for Law and Society Farnham: Ashgate, pp. 169-194.
- Smismans, S. and Pérez-Solórzano Borragán, N. 2010. Europeanisation, third sector and the other civil society. Journal of Civil Society 6(1), pp. 75-80. (10.1080/17448689.2010.481964)
- Smismans, S. 2010. New modes of governance and the participatory myth. In: Bellamy, R. and Palumbo, A. eds. From Government to Governance. The Library of Contemporary Essays in Political Theory and Public Policy Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate, pp. 271-292.
2009
- Smismans, S. 2009. Should participatory democracy become the normative model for EU governance?. Re-Public
- Smismans, S. 2009. European civil society and citizenship: complementary or exclusionary concepts?. Policy and Society 28(1), pp. 59-70. (10.1016/j.polsoc.2009.02.006)
2008
- Smismans, S. 2008. Political representation in the European Union. In: IVR Encyclopaedia of Jurisprudence, Legal Theory and Philosophy of Law. MediaWiki
- Perez-Solorzano Borragan, N. and Smismans, S. 2008. The European Economic and Social Committee after enlargement. In: Best, E., Christiansen, T. and Settembri, P. eds. The Institutions of the Enlarged European Union: Continuity and Change. Studies in EU Reform and Enlargement Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 140-161.
- Smismans, S. 2008. The European social dialogue in the shadow of hierarchy. Journal of Public Policy 28(1), pp. 161-180. (10.1017/S0143814X08000822)
- Smismans, S. 2008. New modes of governance and the participatory myth. West European Politics 31(5), pp. 874-895. (10.1080/01402380802234540)
2007
- Smismans, S. 2007. New Governance - the solution for active European citizenship, or the end of citizenship?. Columbia Journal of European Law 13(3), pp. 595-622.
- Smismans, S. 2007. The European Social Dialogue between Constitutional and Labour Law. European Law Review 32(3), pp. 341-364.
2006
- Smismans, S. ed. 2006. Civil society and legitimate European governance. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
2005
- Smismans, S. 2005. Functional participation in EU delegated regulation: Lessons from the USA at the EU's "constitutional moment". Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies 12(2), pp. 599-630.
2004
- Smismans, S. 2004. Law, legitimacy and European governance: functional participation in social regulation. Oxford Studies in European Law. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
2003
- Smismans, S. 2003. European civil society: shaped by discourses and institutional interests. European Law Journal 9(4), pp. 473-495. (10.1111/1468-0386.00187)
- Smismans, S. 2003. Towards a new community strategy on health and safety at work? Caught in the institutional web of soft procedures. International Journal of Comparative Labour Law and Industrial Relations 19(1), pp. 55-83.
2000
- Smismans, S. 2000. The European Economic and Social Committee: towards deliberative democracy via a functional assembly. European Integration Online Papers 4(12)
1999
- Smismans, S. 1999. An Economic and Social Committee for the citizen, or a citizen for the Economic and Social Committee?. European Public Law 5(4), pp. 557-582.
Articles
- Smismans, S. 2024. Brexit and labour governance: authoritarian innovations in the United Kingdom. Journal of Industrial Relations 66(4), pp. 538-557. (10.1177/00221856241280452)
- Smismans, S. 2018. EU citizens' rights post Brexit: why direct effect beyond the EU is not enough. European Constitutional Law Review 14(3), pp. 443-474. (10.1017/S1574019618000317)
- Smismans, S. and Minto, R. 2017. Are integrated impact assessments the way forward for mainstreaming in the European Union?. Regulation and Governance 11(3), pp. 231-251. (10.1111/rego.12119)
- Smismans, S. 2017. The politicization of ex post policy evaluation in the EU. European Journal of Law Reform 19(1-2), pp. 74-96. (10.5553/EJLR/138723702017019102005)
- Smismans, S. and Stokes, E. 2017. Innovation types and regulation: the regulatory framing of nanotechnology as 'incremental' or 'radical' innovation. European Journal of Risk Regulation 8(2), pp. 364-386. (10.1017/err.2017.9)
- Smismans, S. 2017. Risk regulation at risk. Brexit, Trump it, Risk it.. European Journal of Risk Regulation 8(1), pp. 33-42. (10.1017/err.2016.5)
- Bozzini, E. and Smismans, S. 2016. More inclusive European governance through impact assessments?. Comparative European Politics 14(1), pp. 89-106. (10.1057/cep.2015.11)
- Smismans, S. 2015. Policy evaluation in the EU: The challenges of linking ex ante and ex post appraisal.. European Journal of Risk Regulation 6(1), pp. 6-26. (10.1017/S1867299X00004244)
- Smismans, S. 2014. Regulating interest group participation in the European Union: changing paradigms between transparency and representation. European Law Review 39, pp. 470-492.
- Pérez-Solórzano Borragán, N. and Smismans, S. 2012. Representativeness, a tool to structure interest intermediation in the European Union?. JCMS: Journal of Common Market Studies 50(3), pp. 403-421. (10.1111/j.1468-5965.2011.02236.x)
- Smismans, S. 2011. From harmonization to co-ordination? EU law in the Lisbon governance architecture. Journal of European Public Policy 18(4), pp. 504-524. (10.1080/13501763.2011.560073)
- Smismans, S. 2010. The European Union's fundamental rights myth. JCMS: Journal of Common Market Studies 48(1), pp. 45-66. (10.1111/j.1468-5965.2009.02041.x)
- Smismans, S. and Pérez-Solórzano Borragán, N. 2010. Europeanisation, third sector and the other civil society. Journal of Civil Society 6(1), pp. 75-80. (10.1080/17448689.2010.481964)
- Smismans, S. 2009. Should participatory democracy become the normative model for EU governance?. Re-Public
- Smismans, S. 2009. European civil society and citizenship: complementary or exclusionary concepts?. Policy and Society 28(1), pp. 59-70. (10.1016/j.polsoc.2009.02.006)
- Smismans, S. 2008. The European social dialogue in the shadow of hierarchy. Journal of Public Policy 28(1), pp. 161-180. (10.1017/S0143814X08000822)
- Smismans, S. 2008. New modes of governance and the participatory myth. West European Politics 31(5), pp. 874-895. (10.1080/01402380802234540)
- Smismans, S. 2007. New Governance - the solution for active European citizenship, or the end of citizenship?. Columbia Journal of European Law 13(3), pp. 595-622.
- Smismans, S. 2007. The European Social Dialogue between Constitutional and Labour Law. European Law Review 32(3), pp. 341-364.
- Smismans, S. 2005. Functional participation in EU delegated regulation: Lessons from the USA at the EU's "constitutional moment". Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies 12(2), pp. 599-630.
- Smismans, S. 2003. European civil society: shaped by discourses and institutional interests. European Law Journal 9(4), pp. 473-495. (10.1111/1468-0386.00187)
- Smismans, S. 2003. Towards a new community strategy on health and safety at work? Caught in the institutional web of soft procedures. International Journal of Comparative Labour Law and Industrial Relations 19(1), pp. 55-83.
- Smismans, S. 2000. The European Economic and Social Committee: towards deliberative democracy via a functional assembly. European Integration Online Papers 4(12)
- Smismans, S. 1999. An Economic and Social Committee for the citizen, or a citizen for the Economic and Social Committee?. European Public Law 5(4), pp. 557-582.
Book sections
- Pérez-Solórzano Borragán, N. and Smismans, S. 2020. The law and politics of exit from the EU. In: Cardwell, P. J. and Granger, M. eds. Research Handbook of the Politics of EU Law. Research Handbooks in Law and Politics Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 106-124.
- Smismans, S. 2017. Fundamental rights as a political myth of the EU. Can the myth survive?. In: Douglas-Scott, S. and Hatzis, N. eds. Research Handbook on EU Law and Human Rights. Research Handbooks in European Law series Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 13-34., (10.4337/9781782546405.00010)
- Smismans, S. 2016. Regulatory procedure and participation in the European Union. In: Bignami, F. and Zaring, D. eds. Comparative Law and Regulation Understanding the Global Regulatory Process. Research Handbooks in Comparative Law Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 129–156., (10.4337/9781782545613.00014)
- Smismans, S. 2016. Constitutionalising expertise in the EU: anchoring knowledge in democracy.. In: Priban, J. ed. Self-Constitution of European Society: Beyond EU politics, law and governance. Abingdon and New York: Routledge, pp. 183-200.
- Smismans, S. 2015. Democratic participation and the search for an institutional architecture that accommodates interests and expertise. In: Piattoni, S. ed. The European Union: Institutional Architectures and Democratic Principles in Times of Crisis. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 88-111.
- Pérez-Solórzano Borragán, N. and Smismans, S. 2014. The European Commission and political representation. A new interinstitutional perspective. In: Kroeger, S. ed. Political Representation in the European Union: Still democratic in times of crisis?. Routledge Advances in European Politics Routledge, pp. 125-142.
- Smismans, S. 2011. Interest representation in the EU, is there any? A top-down perspective. In: Kröger, S. and Friedrich, D. eds. The Challenge of Democratic Representation in the European Union. Basingstoke: Palgrave, pp. 209-225.
- Smismans, S. 2011. European civil society and citizenship: complementary or exclusionary concepts?. In: Liebert, U. and Trenz, H. eds. The New Politics of Civil Society. Routledge Studies on Democratising Europe Vol. 6. London: Routledge, pp. 73-92.
- Smismans, S. 2010. European constitutionalism and the democratic design of European governance: rethinking directly deliberative polyarchy and reflexive constitutionalism. In: Kaarlo Tuori, K. and Sankari, S. eds. The Many Constitutions of Europe. Edinburgh Centre for Law and Society Farnham: Ashgate, pp. 169-194.
- Smismans, S. 2010. New modes of governance and the participatory myth. In: Bellamy, R. and Palumbo, A. eds. From Government to Governance. The Library of Contemporary Essays in Political Theory and Public Policy Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate, pp. 271-292.
- Smismans, S. 2008. Political representation in the European Union. In: IVR Encyclopaedia of Jurisprudence, Legal Theory and Philosophy of Law. MediaWiki
- Perez-Solorzano Borragan, N. and Smismans, S. 2008. The European Economic and Social Committee after enlargement. In: Best, E., Christiansen, T. and Settembri, P. eds. The Institutions of the Enlarged European Union: Continuity and Change. Studies in EU Reform and Enlargement Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 140-161.
Books
- Smismans, S. ed. 2006. Civil society and legitimate European governance. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
- Smismans, S. 2004. Law, legitimacy and European governance: functional participation in social regulation. Oxford Studies in European Law. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Monographs
- Smismans, S. 2019. Protecting EU citizens in the UK from a Brexit ‘windrush on steroids’: a legislative proposal for a declaratory registration system. Available at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3433055
- Smismans, S. 2019. Ring-fencing citizens’ rights in the Brexit negotiations: legal framework and political dynamics. Available at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3324156
Websites
- Smismans, S. 2017. Brexit. A separate citizens’ rights agreement under article 50 TEU. [Online]. EUtopialaw.
Research
My research on European governance and regulation builds bridges between different disciplines, from law and political science, to public administration, sociology, industrial relations and science and technology studies. I have provided policy advice to the European Commission, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee, the European Committee of the Regions, the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the Welsh National Assembly. I have held research projects funded by the European Commission, the European Research Council, the European Foundation for Living and Working Conditions, the UK Economic and Social Research Council, and the Italian Ministry for University Education and Research.
My current research is focused on two research streams:
1) Since the Brexit referendum I have been working on the constitutional and governance challenges of the Brexit process, and in particular on ways to protect the rights of EU citizens already residing in the UK. Research on Brexit poses particular challenges to traditional academic inquiry and publication venues since both the political and legal situation is extremely fluid. My publications on this topic have, therefore, often taken the form of online publications, in order to contribute to the debate while political developments are ongoing. My research on this topic is also characterised by intensive interaction with civil society actors and policy-makers. I am acting as advisor to the3million, the main association representing EU citizens in the UK, and I have given evidence on the topic to the House of Commons, the House of Lords, the European Commission Brexit Task Force, and the European Parliament.
More information on this research can be found on the website: www.brexitcitizensrights.com
2) Based on my longstanding interest in issues of legitimacy and accountability of EU governance, my current research continues investigating the governance mechanisms through which the EU proceduralises the evidence basis of its policy-making as well as its interaction with interest groups. This is based on my European Research Council project LASI, “Law, Science and Interests in European Policy-making”. This research equally relates to investigation into the EU’s Better Regulation agenda, as well as to my role as Deputy Editor of the European Journal of Risk Regulation.
Teaching
Undergraduate: Law of the European Union
Postgraduate: European Law and Governance
Biography
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY |
Since 08/2009 2008-2013 | Professor in EU law, Law School, Cardiff University Jean Monnet Chair in EU Law and Governance, Law School, Cardiff University |
2007-2009 | Reader in law, Law School, Cardiff University |
2004-2007 | Senior Researcher /Lecturer, Faculty of Sociology, University of Trento. |
2003-2004: | Jean Monnet Fellowship, Robert Schuman Centre of the European University Institute, Florence. |
2001-2003: | Marie-Curie Fellowship, Centre Européen de l’Institut d’Etudes Politiques, Paris. |
1998-1999: | Traineeship at the European Economic and Social Committee |
1995-1996: | Tutor in international law, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven |
EDUCATION |
| 2002: | PhD in law from the European University Institute, Florence (jury: Gráinne de Búrca, Renaud Dehousse, Koen Lenaerts and Philippe Schmitter) |
| 1995: | MA in European Studies and International Relations Institut européen des hautes études internationales Nice. |
| 1994: | Licentiate in law Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, with certificate ‘Erasmus’ from the Université Robert Schuman Strasbourg |
Supervisions
I welcome proposals for PhD in all area's of EU law, governance and politics, and particularly those aiming at an interdisciiplinary approach in the fields of governance and regulation.
