Dublin bids for EU agencies leaving London

More than 20 European cities will battle to be home to two EU agencies leaving London because of Brexit.

The Irish Government has made formal bids to host both the European Banking Authority (EBA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA), currently based in London’s Canary Wharf.

But Dublin will face stiff competition from 18 rivals for the EBA and seven other cities to host the EMA.

The two regulators employ around 1,000 people in London and success in the competition will provide a boost to the economy and political prestige of the winning bidders.

In the running to host the EMA are: Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Bonn, Bratislava, Brussels, Bucharest, Copenhagen, Dublin, Helsinki, Lille, Milan, Porto, Sofia, Stockholm, Malta, Vienna, Warsaw and Zagreb.

Cities hoping for the EBA are: Brussels, Dublin, Frankfurt, Paris, Prague, Luxembourg City, Vienna and Warsaw.

The Irish Department of Health said Dublin meets all of the criteria necessary to successfully host the EMA and presents an attractive option for the staff of the agency to relocate to.

The cities are competing to attract the agencies’ employees, their families and the business that comes with them.

The banking and medicines agencies are seen as the first spoils of Brexit by the 27 remaining members of the EU.