Italy will ask European authorities to reconsider whether the European Medicines Authority (EMA) could be moved to Milan after Brexit, in light of concerns about its planned move to Amsterdam. The European Medicines Agency is a European Union agency for the evaluation of medical products. It was set up in 1995 in London with funding from the European Union and the pharmaceutical industry, as well as indirect subsidy from Member States, in an attempt to harmonise (but not replace) the work of existing national medicine regulatory bodies.
Milan lost out when the new destination for the authority, which must leave its current home in London when Britain leaves the European Union, was decided by drawing lots two months ago. In November, Milan proposed to locate the EMA in the “Pirellone”, former headquarters of the Lombardy Region administration.
The government is ready to plead with the European Commission and competent European authorities for a possible reconsideration of the decision that assigned the European Medicines Agency (EMA) by lot to Amsterdam over Milan, in light of EMA chief Giudo Rasi’s comment that a stopgap solution for the agency proposed by the Dutch city is not « optimal »: construction of the EMA will reportedly cost €250 to 300 million, but it is not scheduled to be ready until November 2019. The “continuity of EMA’s important work is crucial for millions of patients in Europe,” stressed Dutch minister for medical care Bruno Bruins.
Lower House Speaker Laura Boldrini said « Amsterdam is not ready to host the European Medicines Agency and the government should re-present Milan’s bid » for the post-Brexit site of the agency. According to her it is important to act quickly in the interest of European citizens.
Maria Elena Argano
For further information:
Euractiv Website: https://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-europe/news/italy-cries-foul-over-temporary-accommodation-of-eu-medicines-agency/
La Repubblica Website : http://milano.repubblica.it/cronaca/2018/01/29/news/sede_ema_milano_amsterdam_sala-187575647/?ref=RHPPLF-BH-I0-C8-P1-S1.8-T1
