The move from London to the Netherlands will take place March 1.
After operating out of London since 1995, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will vacate its premises at London’s Canary Wharf on March 1, 2019. The EMA was forced to move following the decision by Britain to leave the EU. EU member states voted in November 2017 to move the offices to Amsterdam.
During the first week (March 4–8), many employees will work from home, while just a few members of staff will be present in the Spark building in Amsterdam Sloterdijk, the agency’s temporary new home. The move into the building should be finalized by March 15.
The agency already held a private farewell for staff. It expects approximately three quarters of the current employees to remain working and move to Amsterdam, with about 25% of the 900-member team leaving in order to remain in the U.K. The new permanent headquarters for the EMA will now be in the Zuidas business district of Amsterdam, to be completed by November 2019.
Brexit will take place March 29, 2019.