EMA Releases Relocation Tracking Tool

On March 5, 2018, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) announced that it has published a new tool that tracks main milestones and development updates related to the agency’s relocation to Amsterdam.

The tracking tool gives a general overview of the main milestones agreed for each work stream, except for external communication, which is a specified activity reliant on the progress made with other work streams, as stated by EMA.

The tool, a living document accessible to both stakeholders and the public, also outlines the deliverables for each work stream, highlighting if the agency is on time to meet each development goal. These timelines are interactive, allowing users to find more information by hovering their mouse over each pinned deliverable. The tool is subject to changes and will be updated each month, according to the agency.

EMA will move from London to Amsterdam before March 29, 2019, when the United Kingdom withdraws from the European Union (EU). Dutch authorities are responsible for the construction of the new EMA site in the Zuidas business district, which is expected to be available by Nov. 15, 2019. EMA will be temporarily relocated to the Sloterdijk area of Amsterdam until construction in the Zuidas area is complete.

“The success of EMA’s relocation is dependent on a number of activities, which need to take place in the context of these two consecutive moves,” EMA stated in an agency press release.

The agency noted that following the EU27 decision to relocate EMA to Amsterdam, a joint governance structure was agreed between EMA and the Netherlands with five work streams relating to the temporary and permanent premises, staff relocation, financial and legal aspects, and external communication.

Source: EMA