EMA confirms move to Amsterdam

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) confirmed that it is moving from London to Amsterdam due to the Brexit on Wednesday. The EMA notified the European budgetary authority about the move, and started the procedure to make the move possible, Het Parool reports.

The budgetary authority will give its opinion on the move within the next four weeks. 

The EMA also confirmed that it approved the plans to build its new offices on Zuidas, and agrees with temporary accommodation in the Sparkgebouw in Sloterdijk until construction is complete. 

This announcement is a blow for Italy and Milan's attempt to thwart the EMA's move to Amsterdam, according to the newspaper. The European Council of Ministers' legal service previously already ruled that the Italian request to reconsider the move is inadmissible. And now that the EMA approved the move to Amsterdam, Italy's case in the European Court of Justice seems even more flimsy.

The European Parliament will vote to formalize the move from London to Amsterdam on March 14th, according to Het Parool. The EMA must leave London before March 30th, 2019 because of the Brexit. In order to ensure the continuity of their work, the medicines agency will be fully operational in Sloterdijk on that date. 

The new head office on Zuidas is scheduled t be completed by November 15th, 2019.