Clues to next medicines agency host emerge

The ability to both retain and attract staff will be vital for the next host of the European Medicines Agency, the European Commission has said.

Retaining employees at the EMA will be “essential for business continuity”, the Commission said in its assessment of the bids to host the agency, which it published on 30 September. Nineteen EU countries are vying to host the EU regulator after it leaves London in March 2019 because of Brexit.

Factors affecting staff retainment include the attractiveness of the location, job and education opportunities, and personalised support for the families of EMA staff, the Commission said. Although all 19 bidders have made promises of support, an EMA staff survey reported on 26 September indicated that as few as 6 per cent of employees would be willing to relocate to some of them.