On Monday, 24 July, Prime Minister Gentiloni, the President of the Regional Council of Lombardy Maroni and the Mayor of Milan Sala made a public presentation of the candidacy of Milan to host the new headquarters of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) which, in the aftermath of Brexit, will have to leave its current offices in London by March 2019. The presentation was held in the suggestive location of the Enzo Jannacci Observatory, on the 31st floor of the Pirelli Tower.
With the Milan candidacy, Italy offers to the European Union a new headquarters perfectly capable of assuring continuity to the operations of EMA, an Agency that is strategically relevant for protecting the health of 500 million European citizens through the responsibility it holds to authorise the launch of new prescription drugs on the market. More specifically, the immediate availability of the Pirelli Tower, which is publicly owned and can be easily reconverted to accommodate the needs of the EMA, undoubtedly represents a point of strength of Milan’s candidacy.
The adjudication process envisages several steps and will end with a simple majority vote for the progressive elimination of candidates (in a maximum of three voting sessions), to be held at the General Affairs Council meeting of 20 November.
Italy is convinced that, despite the competition of numerous European cities, it disposes of a highly competitive and prestigious candidacy, carefully prepared over the last few months through a national Situation Room managed by the Advisor to the Prime Minister for the promotion of relocating the European Medicines Agency in Milan, Prof Enzo Moavero Milanesi, with the participation of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, of the Interior, of Economy and Finance, of Education, University and Research, of Health and of the Regional Council of Lombardy and the Municipal Council of Milan.