Commission begins assessment of bids to host EU agencies

The application procedure to host the two EU agencies, currently based in London, came to a close at midnight on 31 July.

The Commission will assess the offers based on six criteria set agreed by EU leaders: assurance that the agency is operational when the UK leaves the EU; accessibility of the location; schools for the children of the agency staff; access to the labour market and health care for employees' spouses and children; business continuity; and, geographical spread.

The Commission will announce its assessment of the bids on 30 September. After discussion with the general affairs council in October, a final decision will be made in November.

There have been eight offers to host the EBA and 19 offers to host the EMA, the Commission said. Brussels, Dublin, Frankfurt, Luxembourg, Paris, Prague, Vienna and Warsaw have bid for the EBA, and Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Bonn, Bratislava, Brussels, Bucharest, Copenhagen, Dublin, Helsinki, Lille, Malta, Milan, Porto, Sofia, Stockholm, Vienna, Warsaw and Zagreb for the EMA.

The EMA is responsible for the scientific evaluation, supervision and safety monitoring of medicines in the EU, while the EBA works to ensure effective and consistent prudential regulation and supervision across the European banking sector.

The relocation of the 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. It does not form part of the Brexit negotiations, but is to be discussed exclusively between the other 27 EU member states," the Commission said.