European cities battle fiercely for top agencies leaving UK
BRUSSELS — Brexit is still well over year away but two European cities on Monday will already be celebrating Britain’s departure from the European Union.
Two major EU agencies now in London — the European Medicines Agency and the European Banking Authority — must move to a new EU city because Britain is leaving the bloc. The two prizes are being hotly fought over by most of the EU’s other 27 nations.
Despite all the rigid rules and conditions the bloc imposed to try to make it a fair, objective decision, the process has turned into a deeply political beauty contest — part Olympic host city bidding, part Eurovision Song Contest.
It will culminate in a secret vote Monday at EU headquarters in Brussels that some say could be tainted by vote trading.