Ireland braces for loss in fight for post-Brexit spoils

Bloomberg

Irish authorities are bracing to lose out in the race to host the European Banking Authority and the European Medicines Agency following the UK’s departure from the EU, a person familiar with the matter said. Dublin is viewed as having little chance of winning either organisation, which are being forced from London after Brexit, in part due to Ireland’s lack of natural geographical allies, the person said, who asked not to be named as deliberations are private. Frankfurt is viewed as one of the leading candidates for the EBA, while Amsterdam and Copenhagen are among the leading contenders for the EMA, the person said.
Both the Netherlands and Denmark are able to exploit local alliances, with the Dutch drawing support from the neighbouring Benelux countries and the Danes from the Nordic region. The potential loss highlights a wider issue for Ireland, with Brexit depriving Ireland of a traditional ally in Britain within the EU in areas like tax policy.