EMA relocates to Amsterdam, whereas their employees relocate to The Hague

One of the consequences of Brexit is that EMA (European Medicines Agency) needs to relocate. The EMA provides EU citizens with effective, safe and high-quality medicines. EMA maintains a regulatory environment that fosters innovation and the development of new medicines. The Netherlands and in particular Amsterdam have succeeded in its bid to host the EMA (watch the Dutch bid for EMA).

The Dutch government, Municipality of Amsterdam and EMA are taking steps to ensure that EMA can continue its operations to protect public and animal health while it relocates. EMA will start its operations in a temporary office next to Amsterdam Sloterdijk station, before it will move to a newly-build office on the Amsterdam Zuid-As. The Municipality of Amsterdam, helped by a relocation agency, offers EMA employees and their families an extensive relocation package to help with housing, international education for the children, language lessons, finding a doctor, a dentist and more.

However, as the EMA settles in Amsterdam, many of its highly educated employees are moving to The Hague. As of January 2019 67 EMA employees (with 76 children) already relocated to the Netherlands. Municipality studies have shown that The Hague is the most popular city for these EMA families to settle down in.

Why The Hague?

• The Hague region is already host to many other European organisations like Europol, Eurojust, European Patent Office (Rijswijk) and the European Space Agency (Noordwijk).
• Many families relocate to The Hague for the wide range of international education options this region has to offer. Especially the European School is popular as parents of EU institutions like EMA do not have to pay tuition fees for their children.  Only Bergen and The Hague host a European School in the Netherlands.
• With around 60.000 internationals The Hague has a lot of experience in making new international families feel at home. Many of the high-class cultural institutions, health care providers, childcare centres, restaurants, sport clubs and expat organisations cater to the need of internationals.   
• Partners of EMA employees are often highly educated as well. The Hague offers them many career opportunities with international clusters like Peace & Justice, IT/Tech, Energy, Finance/Legal, Security and a growing start-up scene.
• The housing market in Amsterdam is strained. With this in mind, EMA employees are far more successful in renting or buying a house in The Hague region.
• Public transport from The Hague brings you in less than 45 minutes to the new EMA office in Amsterdam.

The Hague International Centre welcomes EMA

In 2019 an estimated 600 employees (with 470 children) are planning to move to The Netherlands, which are welcome in The Hague region. The Hague International Centre offers the EMA families information and guidance about living and working in The Hague region. The Hague International Centre is working closely with their counterpart in Amsterdam to make their relocation as smooth as possible.  It advises on housing, international education and dual career support and also takes care of formalities such as municipal registration (BRP) for EMA employees.