Commission welcomes European Parliament vote confirming relocation of European Medicines Agency and European Banking Authority
The European Commission welcomes the European Parliament’s vote today, which paves the way for the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Banking Authority (EBA) to take up their seats in Amsterdam and Paris, respectively, as of 30 March 2019.
For the Commission, the key objective has always been to ensure business continuity for these important agencies and for their staff. This vote gives the necessary certainty to the staff and all the administrations involved, allowing them to ensure a smooth and timely relocation.
Background
The relocation of these two Agencies is a direct consequence of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union, as notified to the European Council on 29 March 2017. The EMA and the EBA are two key regulatory Agencies for the EU’s Single Market, and are essential for the authorisation of medicines and for bank regulation. They must continue to function smoothly and without disruption beyond March 2019.
The decision to relocate both Agencies was for the governments of the 27 Member States to take. It does not form part of the Brexit negotiations. On 29 November 2017, the Commission made two legislative proposals to amend the founding Regulations of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Banking Authority (EBA). This followed the agreement reached in the margins of the General Affairs Council (Article 50) on 20November 2017.
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