Malta keen on snatching EU drugs agency from London

Malta is interested in landing the European Medicines Agency from London following Britain’s decision to leave the EU, informed sources have told MaltaToday.

The agency is responsible for the scientific evaluation and safety monitoring of drugs developed by pharmaceutical companies for use in the EU. It is currently based in Canary Wharf, London, but will have to relocate its headquarters following the result of last month’s Brexit referendum.

The agency approves around 100 new medicines and more than 50 new uses for existing drugs annually, and has over 600 employees on its books.

Such a change of address would be a feather in the cap for Malta, which is trying to position itself as a hub for pharmaceutical companies – the industry employs over 2,000 people here. However, Malta is likely to face stiff competition from Milan, whose mayor, Giuseppe Sala, travelled to London on Wednesday to urge both the EMA and the European Banking Authority to relocate to his city.

“In the unfortunate case [that a Brexit] should occur, we are firmly convinced that Italy would make an ideal candidate to host the European Medicines Agency,” Luca Pani, director general of AIFA, the Italian agency in charge of drug pricing, told Politico before the referendum. “Italy is at the forefront of innovation with real world data registries and with a minister, Beatrice Lorenzin, who is extremely focused on innovative medicines.”

Swedish and Danish drugmakers and officials in Strasbourg and Lyon have also expressed interest in hosting the EMA, although their governments have yet to endorse a bid. Spain also announced last week that it has set up a working group to lobby for the relocation of the EMA and the EBA to Madrid.

However, the EMA has made it clear that member states would have to decide among themselves who will host the agency, and that courting it will not influence the decision. 

“We are confident that the member states will take the most appropriate decision on EMA’s location and arrangements in due course, taking also into account the complex political and legal environment generatad by the outcome of the UK referendum,” EMA said in a statement this week.

EMA’s first director, Fernand Sauer, said the agency’s relocation would be unpredictable as discussions “take place behind closed doors and it is impossible to know how rational the arguments were”.

Prime Minsiter Joseph Muscat has said that Brexit could provide new opportunities for Malta, but that Malta would not try to scavenge companies away from the UK.