​Minister for Health presents Barcelona's candidature to host European Medicines Agency

The minister met with her counterparts from Malta, Chris Fearne; Greece, Andreas Xantos; Ireland, Simon Harris; Belgium, Maggie De Block; Italy, Beatrice Lorenzin; Portugal, Adalberto Campos Fernandes; Cyprus,. George Pamboridis; Romania, Florian-Dorel Bodog, and the State Secretary of Slovakia, Tomas Drucker.

The majority agreed on the need for the upcoming European Council, to be held in June, and which will decide the criteria on which all countries must base the presentation of their respective candidatures, to base its proposal on purely technical, rather than political, criteria.

In this way, "Barcelona will meet these criteria unreservedly", said the minister, "because we can assure an immediate and swift transfer of the agency, the continuity of the work being performed by the EMA, that there is no loss of talent, and accordingly, we can guarantee that we do not endanger the health of the people of Europe".

Barcelona offers a turnkey building to host the agency: Torre Glóries, with more than sufficient capacity to cater for the more than 900 workers of the EMA on premises spanning 30,000 square metres, which is available now with minimal adaptation to make it immediately functional. This all guarantees a swift transfer, without any loss of activity of the agency or its talent as a result of changing city.