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Amsterdam picked to host EU medicines agency after Brexit

BRUSSELS (AP) - The European Union's medicines agency is moving to Amsterdam from London once Britain's exit from the European Union is completed.

In a heated voting battle between the Dutch city and Milan, EU member nations gave Amsterdam the nod Monday ahead of Italy's industrial icon. Copenhagen finished third, ahead of Bratislava.

The European Medicines Agency has less than 17 months to complete the move, but Amsterdam was considered ideally suited because of its location, the building it had on offer and other facilities.

Some 890 top jobs will leave Britain with the agency, giving Amsterdam's economy a potential economic boost.

Even though rules were set up to make it a fair decision, the process has turned into a deeply political contest.

Dutch Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra said that "in the end it is a very strategic game of chess." He added that beyond bartering, "Every now and then in politics, I hope that content can be decisive."

For the Dutch it was.

The EMA is responsible for the evaluation, supervision and monitoring of medicines.

FILE- In this July 28, 2017 file photo, are the headquarters building of the European Medicines Agency, EMA, left, in London. Brexit is still well over year away but two cities on Monday, Nov. 20, 2017 will already be celebrating Britain's departure from the European Union. Two major EU agencies currently in London will be given a new home to move to and the two prizes are hotly fought over by most of the other 27 nations. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, File) The Associated Press
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