Amongst his responsibilities are the formulation and management of EU research activities in the field of: Joint Programming, Coordination of National Research Programmes, Cooperation with intergovernmental research organisations (EIROforum, EUREKA, COST), Research Infrastructures, Regions of Knowledge, Research Potential and the relations with the European Investment Bank (EIB). Robert-Jan Smits is chairing several Programme Committees and is the EC representative on: The High-level group on Joint Programming, the European Strategic Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), the ESF Governing Council and the EUREKA High Level Group (HLG).

Previous assignments of Robert-Jan Smits in DG Research, European Commission included Director "Structuring the European Research Area", Head of Unit of “Legal Affairs”, “SME Unit”, “Strengthening research cooperation and Europe’s science base”.  From 2003-2006, Robert-Jan Smits was responsible for developing the European Research Council (ERC), the European Technology Platforms (ETPs) as well as for the shaping of the Joint Technology Initiatives (JTIs), which are PPPs in the field of Research.

Robert-Jan Smits was born in 1958. He has degrees from Utrecht University in the Netherlands, Institut Universitaire d’Hautes Etudes Internationales in Switzerland and Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy in the United States of America.