Professor Phil Syrpis – inaugural lecture

Press release issued: 10 May 2018

In his inaugural lecture ‘And then there was Brexit: EU law before and after the referendum’, held on Tuesday 1 May, Professor Phil Syrpis discussed the role of a Professor of EU Law in the light of the referendum, reflecting on the challenges and opportunities ahead for legal academics.

In his presentation, Professor Phil Syrpis talked about the nature of his EU law research spanning from the early 1990s to 2016, as well as its transformation as a result of Brexit.

His speech critically examined the nature of the European Union as a political entity, touching upon the balance between diversity and unity within the EU and the tension within its structure and system:

“The EU constitutional system is far and away the most developed structure for interstate cooperation which has evolved in international law.”

“It is not a system based on hierarchy, or authority. (…) The system relies on trust and cooperation. And trust and cooperation do not just happen; they are the products of the connections between the relevant institutions. The fact that this is not well understood is one of the reasons why the Leave campaign (‘taking back control’ etc) had such traction…”

The lecture addressed the impossibility of making predictions as to the far-reaching consequences of Brexit, using the Irish border problem to illustrate the range of issues and international commitments that will need to be considered anew.

Professor Syrpis also reflected on the effect Brexit has had on EU law scholarship. His speech gave insight into how his approach has shifted from a focus on academic engagement alone to one that considers a wider audience, with greater engagement with media, social media, and channelling research to make an impact beyond the academic field.

“The key, I think, is to know your audience; and to be able to write in ways which engage your likely readership. It is your expertise which makes, or should make, you able, and qualified, to play a bigger part in the public debate.”

Dr Albert Sanchez-Graells said:

" Prof @syrpis offers a very honest and inspiring account of the efforts, achievements and challenges of engaging with Brexit as the issues emerged — thank you for your contribution, scholarship and public service approach, Phil!"

Listen to the full lecture here:

Further information

Professor Phil Syrpis is an expert on EU treaties. He has been filmed talking about the triggering of Article 50 and has published academic research on a wide range of subjects relevant to Brexit, including EU employment law, EU trade law, free movement, the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Union’s institutional framework.

In the wake of the referendum result, Phil has contributed to public engagement and policy briefings, producing articles and blog posts on the EU law questions surrounding Article 50, including in relation to the Miller litigation. These have included a Policy Briefing and blog post for Policy Bristol, contributions on the eutopialaw.com blog, and participation in the Guardian’s ‘Brexit Means’ Podcast.

As part of a PolicyBristol Fellowship, Phil provided expertise in EU law to contribute to the work of the House of Commons Library. He has submitted written evidence to both the House of Lords Constitution Committee and the House of Commons Exiting the EU Committee.

For further information about legal news, events and research related to Brexit please visit the Law School’s Brexit Centre website.