EU agency relocated from London to Amsterdam by picking name out of hat at random after tie in votes
Lots were drawn to decide the new location of the European Medicines Agency
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The European Union has decided to relocate one of its agencies to Amsterdam by drawing the name of the new city out of a hat at random, after a tie in the official vote on where to move it.
EU ministers meeting in Brussels voted on where to move the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which currently employs over 900 people in London, but after a tie between Amsterdam and Milan, a game of chance was used to decide the new location.
The drawing of lots led to Amsterdam being crowned the winner and the new host of the agency, which will move after Britain leaves the EU.
The EMA coordinates the evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of treatments by national agencies before they can be used across the EU.
Sources familiar with the meeting told the Reuters news agency that Milan was two votes short of outright victory in a second round of voting, with 12 votes – ahead of 9 for Amsterdam and 5 for Copenhagen.
After the Danish capital was knocked out, its votes mostly went to Amsterdam, producing a 13-13 tie, however.
Under the rules of the selection process, the Estonian minister chairing the meeting stepped in and drew lots to decide the winner.
Slovakian capital Bratislava was also a contender, coming in fourth place.
19 cities had bid for the economic boost and prestige of the EMA’s relocation, which will also likely bring offices of major pharmaceutical companies and lobbyists with it.
The UK will also be losing the European Banking Authority, currently based in London, after Brexit. Its host city will be decided later on Monday evening.
Brexit Secretary David Davis said in April that London could keep the two EU agencies after it left the bloc, but turned out to be wrong.
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