Even if Great Britain is leaving Europe, it is not so happy to let go the two of the EU’s most prestigious agencies covering medicines and banking: EMA and EBA.
However, the idea that such key institutions will stay in UK after the Brexit is not acceptable for Brussels and Donald Tusk will, already this month, set out the criteria to choose the cities or city that will replace London in hosting the two agencies.
EU leaders are expected to discuss the new base for the agencies at a summit on April 29, where the 27 remaining member states will hammer out their Brexit strategy.
The decision will not be taken on that day, but Mr Tusk is expected to put down the rules and criteria for deciding which city should host the agencies.
An EU official after been asked if a decision will be made within June has declared: “That would be nice but I doubt it.” The EMA headquarters hosts 36,000 national regulators and scientists each year from across the continent, who come to London to approve drugs for the EU. The secretariat with about 890 employees plays a central role in co-ordinating the work.
Many cities have already put their bid to become the next hosting city for EMA, among the other also Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Milan, Stockholm, Barcelona and Dublin.
