EMA enters ‘last step’ of relocation process

By Ben Hargreaves

- Last updated on GMT

(Image: Getty/JJHV)
(Image: Getty/JJHV)

Related tags Ema European union Amsterdam

A lease agreement has been signed for the EMA to move into tailor-made premises in Amsterdam, with staff set to begin working from the space in January.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA)’s hasty exit​ from its London, UK, office, as a result of Brexit, is in the final stages of completion.

Dutch authorities handed over the newly completed, tailor-made building, located in the Zuidas area of Amsterdam, to the EMA, after its executive direction, Guido Rasi, signed the lease agreement.

With the building complete, the last stages of readying the building will involve technical equipment being installed, before IT configuration and testing will allow employees to move into the new offices.

The agency stated that staff will be able to move into the new space in January 2020, with most staff expected to work remotely between early-December and early-January.

When staff begin the transition to the new site, it will represent a second move in under a year, with the agency having operated out of its temporary building​ in Amsterdam Sloterdijk.

Beyond the logistical issues associated with a complete move away from its previous London site, the temporary location in the ‘Spark’ building saw the EMA have to cope with a building half of the size of the UK building​.

Despite the turmoil of the move, the European agency has still been busy in its efforts to increase international harmonization of regulatory methods.

This year, it completed its mutual recognition agreement​ with the US Food and Drug Administration that would see the latter agency recognize the inspections of all European member states’ inspections.

In addition, the EMA met colleagues from China’s National Medical Product Association​ to share expertise of current good manufacturing practice and good clinical practice standards.

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