THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC:

OFFER TO HOST THE EUROPEAN MEDICINES AGENCY IN

BRATISLAVA

28.07.2017

28 July 2017

www.sk4ema.sk

2

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................... 4

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................... 5

1 EXCELLENT INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIVITY ............................................................................ 9

2 ACCOMMODATING VISITORS - ADEQUATE HOTEL CAPACITY ........................................... 21

3 EASY ACCESSIBILITY OF PROPOSED EMA HQ IN BRATISLAVA .......................................... 23

4 LOCATED RIGHT IN THE WORLD-CLASS SCIENTIFIC HUB .................................................. 26

5 ATTRACTIVE FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE TALENT ............................................................... 29

6 INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS .......................................................................................................... 37

7 CONTINUITY ..................................................................................................................................... 45

LIST OF ANNEXES:

Annex 1 Real Estate - Information Booklet

Annex 2 Real Estate - Compliance Checklist

Annex 3 Real Estate - Heads of Terms

Annex 4 List of Benefits and Special Conditions

Annex 5 Original Candidacy Brochure

3

4

INTRODUCTION

This offer is submitted in response to the call for offers of

22 June 2017 stated in the “Procedure leading up to a

decision on the relocation of the European Medicines

Agency in the context of the United Kingdom's withdrawal

from the Union" (Procedure).

Slovakia hereby reconfirms its candidacy for the new seat of

the European Medicines Agency (EMA or Agency) and

presents this offer for evaluation by EU authorities. This

offer follows up on the initial announcement made on 28

April 2017 in a letter by the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Mr.

Robert Fico, later supplemented by presentation material

on the Slovak candidacy for EMA1.

THE PROPOSED LOCATION IS BRATISLAVA, THE SLOVAK

CAPITAL.

In accordance with point 4(1) of the Procedure, Slovakia

offers to host one of the agencies to be relocated due to

the UK's withdrawal from the EU. Therefore, the subject

matter of this application is exclusively the relocation of the

European Medicines Agency.

This offer and related annexes address in detail all criteria

and specific issues laid out in points 3 and 4 of the

Procedure. Specific conditions offered by Slovakia are

stated for each of these items.

As part of its candidacy, Slovakia also hereby submits a

short video presentation and a dedicated website.

Slovakia would like to express its willingness to fully

cooperate with European authorities during the assessment

of this offer, particularly if any further information or

clarification is needed.

1 Please note that this offer supersedes the original candidacy documents. Should any factual inconsistencies arise, this

document takes precedence.

Want a healthy space

to work and live?

The road leads to

Bratislava

5

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

BRATISLAVA MEETS ALL THE CRITERIA

Information provided in this document make it

clear that Bratislava and the proposed site

objectively meet all six location-related

prerequisites (criteria) for the new EMA

headquarters.

FORMAL COMMITMENTS

The Slovak Government desires to be a reliable

and long-term partner for the Agency. We are

willing to make formal commitments to ensure

that all the necessary conditions are in place at

the time the Agency starts its operational phase.

The state will therefore enter into an HQ

agreement which will be concluded before the

relocation starts.

Slovakia also commits to continuing to

responding to the Agency’s needs after its

establishment in Bratislava and providing all the

conditions required for seamless operation of

the Agency in the future.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS OFFERED

Slovakia intends to provide attractive financial

and other assistance to the Agency and its staff.

Slovakia is willing to formally commit to all

special conditions and benefits offered to EMA

or its employees, either in the HQ agreement, or

in other forms.

TOP PRIORITY – CONTINUITY

Special regard is given to Slovakia’s proposal to

ensure problem-free transition and business

continuity of this critically important Agency, to

ensure it can continue to deliver its functions on

the withdrawal date (expected to be: 29 March

2019).

Slovakia recognizes this factor to be of the

utmost importance. At the same time, we

believe this document presents realistic and

detailed proposal how to achieve this goal.

OPERATIONS CONTINUITY

To ensure smooth relocation of the European

Medicines Agency, Slovakia offers a state-of-the-

art office building which meets all technical and

accessibility requirements. For several

specifications, these premises provide better

conditions than the current location.

As Bratislava has excellent international

connectivity, the new HQ will be easily accessible

for visitors from all EU countries and other major

global destinations. This will allow the Agency to

continue its demanding meeting and networking

agenda.

The offices will become available in 4Q 2018, i.e.

long before the Agency officially starts

operations in Slovakia. This means there is

sufficient time for the transition to the new HQ

eliminating the need for a provisional solution.

This is clearly shown in our realistic relocation

plan which comprises part of this document.

Slovakia plans to provide financial and other

assistance during the relocation process to

further unburden the Agency during this unique

large-scale operation facilitating a problem-free

transition process.

6

BUSINESS CONTINUITY

To ensure business continuity, Slovakia describes

how to provide for knowledge retention by

motivating current staff to relocate to Bratislava,

and by engaging the Slovak State Institute for

Drug Control during the transition.

The offer presents in detail why Bratislava is an

ideal place to live offering work for highly-

qualified international talent. The Slovak capital

offers world-class international schools, a

modern healthcare system, diverse housing

options and extensive job opportunities for

partners of EMA staff. As a city with a very high

quality of life, it is an attractive prospect for

relocation for current EMA employees. This fact

will also bolster the Agency’s future ability to

attract qualified staff from across the EU.

In addition, the Slovak Government intends to

provide motivating relocation benefits and

dedicated assistance for current employees and

their families.

LOWER OPERATING COSTS

Due to substantially lower operating costs in

Bratislava compared to London and some other

candidate countries, it is likely that the Agency

will become financially self-sufficient, freeing

budgetary resources for future growth and

innovations.

POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE SYNERGIES

Besides meeting the conditions for relocating

the Agency, Bratislava is also a high potential

location for future development.

Locating the new HQ in the proposed area could

lead to potential synergies as regards life

sciences and biomedicine. The location is a pre-

eminent scientific hub with several world-class

institutions and a strong innovation base. Right

next to the offered building is the largest R&D

campus in Slovakia which includes the newly

opened state-of-the-art University Science Park

for Biomedicine.

The Slovak capital is a city with a fast-growing

life sciences sector. According to data from “fDi

Markets”, Bratislava ranks fourth among

European cities with regard to job creation for

the life sciences.

Slovakia also has a world-class IT sector, which

will provide many opportunities for future

technological innovations such as growing

EMA’s electronic services.

GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD PRINCIPLE

In addition to the fact that Slovakia and

Bratislava objectively meet the criteria, we wish

to point to the principle of geographical spread

for HQs of EU offices and agencies, as agreed by

the member states at the European Council of

December 2003 and reiterated by the European

Council of June 2008.

In line with this principle, appropriate priority

should be given to member states that acceded

to the Union in/after 2004 or that do not already

host an EU office or agency. According to the

Procedure, this principle should also be

considered for relocations.

7

Slovakia is one of the few EU members which do

not host an HQ of a European agency, therefore

we strongly believe that the upcoming decision

will follow these pre-agreed and publicly

committed principles.

This criterion becomes even more relevant given

the currently disproportionate distribution of EU

agencies’ HQs among member states. Only nine

EU agencies are located in eight newer member

states, while five newer states do not host an EU

agency. Twelve EU agencies, established after

2003, have been allocated to older member

states. Moreover, eight older member states

host more than one EU agency.

Compared to the other countries which do not

host an agency, Slovakia is one of only two

Eurozone members and the only member of the

Schengen area which significantly eases access

for foreign travellers.

STRONGLY PRO-EUROPEAN

Since 2004, the Slovak Republic has become a

valued and reliable member of the European

Union, Eurozone and Schengen area. It respects

all EU principles and values and is committed to

effective cooperation on major European

projects and policies.

Slovakia’s first-ever EU presidency took place in

the second half of 2016. Our performance was

generally evaluated as a success, confirmed by

all the top representatives of the EU, the

member states and also by the media.

The location of the Agency in a newer member

state would increase the visibility of the EU

across the whole eastern part of the EU. It would

also be viewed as a vote of confidence in new

member states, increasing their motivation to

become more active members of the EU and

leading to stronger EU cohesion.

8

9

1

EXCELLENT

INTERNATIONAL

CONNECTIVITY

10

BRATISLAVA - STRATEGIC LOCATION IN THE

HEART OF EUROPE

Due to its strategic geographic location in

Central Europe, Bratislava is easily accessible

from all European countries and other global

regions. The Slovak capital can be reached from

3 EU member states in one hour as it is located

on the Austrian borders, about 12 km from

Hungary and 60 km from the Czech Republic.

A central location for the new EMA headquarters

would be ideal for the efficient and flexible

operation of the Agency, making it also easier for

expatriate EMA staff to visit their home countries.

INTEGRAL PART OF A WELL-CONNECTED

MULTINATIONAL REGION

Bratislava is part of a well-connected, developed

and fast-growing multinational region in Central

Europe encompassing territorial units of 4 EU

countries: Slovakia, Austria, the Czech Republic

and Hungary. The total population of this

“euroregion” exceeds 6.5 million2.

Bratislava is close to two of the largest EU cities

– Vienna (7th largest) and Budapest (9th largest).

The Slovak capital is directly connected with

these cities via high-quality road and rail

infrastructure.

Source: Eurostat

2 Eurostat data (Multinational region compiled by analogy with Centrope initiative: Bratislava region, Trnava region, state of

Vienna, Niederösterreich, Burgenland, South Moravian region, Győr-Moson-Sopron county, Vas county).

Bratislava region

Population:

625,175

Population growth:

+12.9%

GDP per capita:

188%

(as % of EU average)

11

COMMUTING DISTANCE

The neighboring capitals of Vienna and

Budapest can be reached by car in 1 and 2 hours

respectively. In case of Vienna, the short travel

time enables daily commuting between these

two cities. Bratislava and Vienna are actually

among the closest capital cities in the world (the

closest among EU member states). With a mere

64 km between them, they form part of the

Vienna-Bratislava metropolitan region. Both

cities belong to the Schengen area and use the

euro, further facilitating easy movement

between the capitals.

BRATISLAVA – LITTLE BIG CITY

The capital of Slovakia combines the

convenience and comfort of living in a mid-sized

city (approx. 450,000 permanent city residents

and more than 620,000 in the greater

metropolitan area) with economic, social and

cultural possibilities of a large European

agglomeration (more than 12 million inhabitants

live within two hours’ drive from Bratislava).

Approximate travel times:

from/to Bratislava Driving time Driving distance Highway connection

Vienna city centre 60 min. 80 km

yes airport 40 min. 62 km

Budapest city centre 120 min. 200 km

yes airport 135 min. 232 km

EXCELLENT HIGHWAY CONNECTIVITY

Bratislava is a significant international highway

node with direct access to Vienna, Budapest,

Prague and many other locations in Europe and

Slovakia.

This would allow EMA visitors from many European

countries to travel to the Agency’s proposed new

headquarters by road as well as quickly reach

nearby international airports, which are also

directly accessible via the highway system.

12

BRATISLAVA - SERVED BY 3 INTERNATIONAL

AIRPORTS

Given the many international visitors that travel

to EMA headquarters, it is crucial that the new

EMA office is located near an international

airport hub offering high-frequency, direct

flights to all EU capitals and other destinations

around the world.

The Slovak capital meets this requirement, as it

is in the catchment area of 3 international

airports (Bratislava, Vienna and Budapest),

serving a total of 35 million passengers

annually.

GETTING IN FROM THE AIRPORT - FASTER

THAN IN LONDON

The well-developed highway network

enables easy transfer from international

airports to the proposed EMA HQ location.

Driving time from Bratislava airport to the

proposed site is 20 min., about 40 min. from

Vienna airport and just over 2 hours from

Budapest airport.

Travel time from Vienna airport to EMA’s new

proposed HQ in Bratislava would be faster than

from London Heathrow airport to the Agency’s

current Canary Wharf HQ.

13

Distance and approximate driving times from international airports serving the Bratislava region

to the proposed EMA HQ:

Airport Driving time Driving distance

Bratislava ideal traffic:

heavy traffic:

19m

25m 11 km

Vienna ideal traffic:

heavy traffic:

37m

45m 62 km

Budapest ideal traffic:

heavy traffic:

2h 7m

2h 17m 233 km

For comparison, approximate transfer times to EMA’s current location from the most frequently used

airports in London:

Airport Driving time By public transportation

London (Heathrow) ideal traffic:

heavy traffic:

1h

1h - 2h 1h – 1h 30m

London (Luton) ideal traffic:

heavy traffic:

1h

1h – 1h 30m 1h 20m

London (Stansted) ideal traffic:

heavy traffic:

40m

1h 1h 20m

DIRECT FLIGHTS TO ALL EU CAPITALS

Bratislava and Vienna airports have direct

flight connections to all EU capitals, in

addition to EEA countries (Norway, Iceland),

Switzerland and other major European

cities. Most capitals can be reached in less

than 2 hours.

14

BRATISLAVA AIRPORT

Bratislava airport links the capital with major European

cities and airport hubs. Currently it provides about 40

scheduled destinations including London, Berlin, Paris,

Brussels and Dublin. Since Bratislava airport has direct

flights to key travel hubs, numerous other locations in

and outside Europe are easily accessible via

connecting flights.

The airport is growing significantly - in 2016, the total

volume of passengers exceeded 1.7 million (12.3%

growth). Therefore, new destinations are sure to be

added. Bratislava airport provides assistance services

for people with special needs and is also a base for

low-cost airline, Ryanair.

VIENNA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Often used as a primary airport by residents of the

Bratislava region, it is one of the most important

European transport hubs.

Vienna International Airport offers a dense network of

European destinations as well as long-haul flights to

Asia, North America and Africa. A total of 181

destinations in 73 countries are served by 75 carriers.

In 2016, the airport handled 23.4 million passengers.

The airport provides free 24 hour support services for

the disabled.

BUDAPEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

The airport serves 103 direct destinations and handled

11.4 million passengers in 2016. It offers international

connections primarily in Europe, but also to North

America, the Middle East and Africa. From June 2015,

transatlantic flights were restored with flights to

Toronto. Since 2018, direct flights to Chicago and New

York are to be renewed. The airport serves as a hub

for low-cost airlines Wizz Air and as a base for Ryanair.

15

3 Tegel, Schönefeld

4 Brussels Airport, Brussels Charleroi

5 50 km from Nicosia 6 Heathrow, Luton, Gatwick, Southend, Stansted

7 Charles de Gaulle, Orly, Beauvais

8 Fiumicino, Ciampino

LIST OF DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM BRATISLAVA AND VIENNA AIRPORTS TO EU AND EEA CAPITALS:

Vienna Airport Bratislava Airport

Frequency Duration Frequency Duration

Amsterdam 61 1h 55m

Athens 18 2h 10m 2 2h 10m

Berlin3 86 1h 20m 4 1h 15m

Bern 4 1h 40m

Brussels4 50 1h 45m 4 1h 45m

Bucharest 45 1h 35m

Budapest 21 50m

Copenhagen 30 1h 45m

Dublin 7 2h 45m 7 2h 55m

Helsinki 14 2h 20m

Larnaca5 16 3h 5m 4 3h

Lisbon 14 3h 35m

Ljubljana 14 45m

London6 89 2h 25m 9 2h 20m

Luxembourg 20 1h 45m

Madrid 21 3h 5m 2 3h

Malta 11 2h 10m

Milan 35 1h 25m 4 1h 25m

Oslo 17 2h 25m

Paris7 57 2h 5m 2 2h 5m

Prague 33 50m 5 1h

Reykjavik 4 4h 25m

Riga 12 2h 10m

Rome8 21 1h 35m 4 1h 40m

Sofia 34 1h 30m 4 1h 35m

Stockholm 27 2h 15m

Tallinn 9 2h 15m

Vilnius 7 1h 50m

Warsaw 35 1h 15m 4 1h 10m

Zagreb 31 50m

16

DIRECT FLIGHTS TO OTHER MAJOR EUROPEAN DESTINATIONS:

Note: as of 31. July 2017

Source: Vienna Airport Flight Schedule (10.07.2017 - 29.10.2017), Bratislava Airport Flight Schedule (26.03.2017 - 28.10.2017)

9 Domodedovo, Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo

Vienna Airport Bratislava Airport

Frequency Duration Frequency Duration

Barcelona 23 2h 20m 3 3h 55m

Birmingham 6 2h 30m 3 2h 25m

Düsseldorf 70 1h 30m

Edinburgh 5 2h 45m 3 2h 40m

Frankfurt 90 1h 25m

Geneva 32 1h 35m

Hamburg 46 1h 35m

Istanbul 30 2h 15m

Krakow 14 1h

Manchester 10 2h 30m 3 2h 30m

Moscow9 56 2h 40m 4 2h 35m

Munich 56 55m

Rotterdam 7 1h 45m

St. Petersburg 14 2h 30m

Zurich 77 1h 20m

17

9

7

3

14

6 65

6 67

9

28

67

4

0

9

0

18

6

34

Vienna Budapest Bratislava

Number of intercontinental flights (per week) from the Bratislava region:

INTERCONTINENTAL FLIGHTS

The proposed HQ in Bratislava will also be

accessible for visitors from non-European

countries, e.g. from partner organizations in

the US, Japan, South Korea, Canada and

Australia. Such destinations are accessible

from Bratislava via connecting flights or

directly from Vienna and Budapest airports.

These two airports provide scheduled long-

haul flights to major cities in North America

and Asia. Tokyo and Sydney can be reached

with one stopover flight.

18

CONNECTIVITY FOR EMA STAFF

Bratislava is also easily accessible from countries

which currently have the largest number of

employees at EMA (France, Italy, Spain have

more than 10% shares), thus increasing the city’s

attractiveness and contributing to smoother

transition from London. An overview of direct

flights to second-tier cities in those countries

can be seen in the table below.

In the future, this factor will increase the

Agency’s ability to attract qualified staff from

across the EU.

WIDE CARRIER CHOICE & LOW-COST AIRLINES

In total, more than 70 airlines operate flights

from the 3 nearest airports and accommodate

the needs of both business and budget travellers

such as visiting consumer representatives.

The following low-fare airlines (or carriers with

similar business model) operate at these

airports: Ryanair, NIKI, Eurowings, Wizz Air,

AirBaltic, EasyJet, airberlin, Norwegian, Jet2.com,

Pegasus Airlines, Volotea, Vueling, flydubai,

SmartWings. Since 2015, Bratislava airport has

been home to a Ryanair base with more than 15

scheduled routes.

Vienna Airport

Frequency Duration

FRANCE

Bastia 1 1h 40m

Bordeaux 2 2h 20m

Calvi 1 1h 25m

Lyon 15 1h 55m

Marseille 2 1h 55m

Nantes 2 2h 40m

Nice 25 1h 40m

Toulouse 2 2h 10m

ITALY

Bari 2 1h 40m

Bologna 19 1h 15m

Cagliari 1 2h 15m

Catania 6 2h 10m

Florence 7 1h 35m

Genoa 1 1h 45m

Lamezia 1 1h 55m

Naples 13 1h 45m

Palermo 1 2h 5m

Pisa 4 1h 35m

Venice 21 1h 5m

SPAIN

Alicante 2 2h 50m

Malaga 8 3h 20m

19

QUICK TRANSFER FROM THE

AIRPORTS

When traveling to the proposed EMA seat from

Bratislava airport or Vienna airport, various

inexpensive means of transport are available (cars,

taxis, buses as well as trains). The fastest option is

to drive by car or taxi. As already indicated, trip

from the Bratislava airport lasts about 20 min. and

approx. 40 min. from the Vienna airport.

TRANSFERS BY PUBLIC

TRANSPORTATION

The proposed site can be reached from

Bratislava airport by bus in above 30 minutes

(buses leave around every 10 minutes).

Getting to the new HQ from Vienna airport

requires one change, and the journey takes

around 1h 30m. There is a direct connection

between the proposed site and Bratislava main

bus station (the most common destination for

people traveling from Vienna airport to

Bratislava by bus).

GETTING FROM VIENNA AIRPORT TO BRATISLAVA

Time: 40 min.

Price: €40 - €60

Frequency: non-stop

Time: 1 hour

Price: €1.50 - €5 /€2.90 - €10

(one way/return ticket)

Frequency: at least 16x/day

(4.30 am — 11.50 pm)

Time: 1 hour 10 min.

Price: €10 /€16

(one way/return ticket)

Frequency: every hour

BY TAXI BY BUS BY TRAIN

(CITY CENTRE)

20

RAILWAY CONNECTIVITY

Bratislava has excellent rail connections with the

rest of Europe, there are numerous and frequent

direct services between Bratislava and other EU

capitals.

Slovakia was ranked 21st in quality of

infrastructure by Global Competitiveness Index

2016-2017.

Direct railway connections from Bratislava to

selected EU capitals:

Destination Distance Duration

Vienna 60 km 1h 10m

Budapest 204 km 2h 42m

Prague 396 km 3h 56m

Warsaw 615 km 6h 55m

Berlin 793 km 8h 47m

As a second option, travellers to EMA can use

train connections to Vienna and then continue

to Bratislava.

Examples of cities which have direct rail links to

Vienna: Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt,

Belgrade, Warsaw, Katowice, Zurich, Florence,

Rome, Venice, Milan, Nice and Moscow.

21

2

ACCOMMODATING

VISITORS -

ADEQUATE HOTEL

CAPACITY

22

SUFFICIENT HOTEL CAPACITY

The Slovak capital is ready to accommodate the

high number of visitors to the European

Medicines Agency in various hotel facilities. The

Bratislava hotel market is sufficiently large for the

Agency’s needs. 30,000 hotel nights (booked by

EMA and its visitors in 2015) represent just 2% of

the total number of overnight stays in Bratislava

in 2015.

Total capacity of Bratislava hotels is around

12,800 beds. The current occupancy rate of beds

is just 36.3% (2015), so EMA visitors could easily

be catered for by the existing market capacity

even with a daily peak capacity requirement of

350 rooms. On average, about 8,000 hotel beds

are unoccupied on any given day.

The recent Slovak Presidency of the Council of the

European Union demonstrated that Bratislava can

accommodate tens of thousands of foreign

visitors during a short period of time.

WORLD-CLASS QUALITY

According to a Hotel.info survey, tourists are

extremely satisfied with Slovak hotels. The Slovak

capital placed second in an evaluation of the

quality of hotels in Europe. In 2014, the Wall

Street Journal ranked Bratislava hotels among the

“Top five cleanest hotels worldwide”.

FURTHER OPTIONS

Since Vienna is only 60 km from Bratislava, Vienna

hotels can be considered as an alternative option

to Bratislava hotel or conference facilities.

VARIED AND AFFORDABLE

There are around 75 hotels in Bratislava (108 in

Bratislava region), in addition to other facilities

like guesthouses. Different types of hotels are

available with a broad range of amenities and

different price options. 36 hotels have five and

four-star ratings, and there are also many

affordable options for price-conscious travellers

(e.g. 26 three-star hotels).

Hotels in Bratislava also meet EMA’s price

variability requirements. Despite being one of the

wealthiest regions in the EU, Bratislava can offer

very competitive hotel prices. When comparing

Bratislava price levels to those in London, four-

star hotels reach only 19% and five star only 37%

of London prices. Hotels in Bratislava often

provide better services than their equally-rated

London counterparts.

5-STAR 4-STAR

London € 425 - € 461 100% € 150 - € 450 100%

Vienna € 85 - € 450 60% € 50 - € 120 28%

Bratislava € 89 - € 235 37% € 46 - € 66 19%

Note: at prearranged high-volume prices

QUICK TO GET AROUND

Visitors to the proposed EMA HQ who are

staying in hotels can get there quickly, as it is

just 5 to 10 minutes’ drive from the Bratislava

city centre, which has the highest concentration

of hotels. The proposed HQ site can be reached

in minutes from the nearest hotels by car or by

public transport.

23

3

EASY ACCESSIBILITY

OF PROPOSED EMA

HQ IN BRATISLAVA

24

IDEAL BUILDING AT AN IDEAL LOCATION

While selecting a site for the new headquarters of the

European Medicines Agency, different parts of Bratislava

were considered in detail. In the end, an area in the

northwestern part of the city called „Patrónka” was

identified as an ideal location for the new HQ. It is one

of the most important transport hubs in Bratislava,

particularly it plays a key role as a major public

transportation junction in Bratislava. Subsequently,

Westend Plazza was identified as the office building

which meets all the prerequisites.

EASY HIGHWAY ACCESS

The proposed location is just a few minutes’ drive from

the closest highway exit allowing easy access to

Bratislava airport, Vienna airport and other EU capitals

(Prague, Budapest, etc.). Visitors to the Agency would

not need to cross the city centre making access quicker

and more convenient.

ACCESSIBILITY PROVEN BY PRESENCE OF

INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES

Several multinational companies have their offices in the

same business park (e.g. Siemens, Generali, IBM). The

presence of international companies frequently visited

by foreigners demonstrates this area’s good

connectivity.

CONVENIENT FOR EMA EMPLOYEES

Another factor we took into account when selecting this

site was its location close to international schools

(kindergartens, primary and secondary schools). The

proposed building is just a few minutes’ drive from 3 top

international schools in Bratislava and there is a private

nursery directly in the business complex. There are also

diverse amenities such as restaurants, shops, healthcare

facilities and recreation areas.

25

ACCESSIBLE BY SAFE AND RELIABLE PUBLIC

TRANSPORT

About 200m from the proposed site is an

important public transport stop providing bus

and trolleybus connections across all Bratislava

and regional inter-city bus connections. Two

terminals located on both sides of the street are

connected via a pedestrian underpass ensuring

safety of the passengers. There is a semi-

automatic ramp for the disabled at both exits

from the underpass.

Currently, there are 16 bus and trolleybus city

connections at this terminal (including a night

bus service) and about half a dozen regional

connections. All key points of interest in

Bratislava are therefore easily accessible.

Public transport in Bratislava is reliable, safe and

inexpensive (e.g. bus ticket from the city centre

costs just 70 cents.) Vehicles are accessible for

people with disabilities and English destination

announcements will help orientate visitors to the

Agency.

FROM VIENNA AIRPORT WITH ONE TRANSFER

There is a direct connection between Patrónka

and Bratislava main bus station (the most

common destination for people travelling by bus

from Vienna airport to Bratislava). The journey

lasts 13 minutes and a bus trip from Vienna

airport to Bratislava main station lasts about 1

hour. The proposed EMA site in Bratislava can be

reached by public transport in about 1 and a half

hour from Vienna airport.

Westend Plazza: Visualization

26

4

LOCATED RIGHT IN

THE WORLD-CLASS

SCIENTIFIC HUB

27

GREAT POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE SYNERGIES

Locating the new EMA HQ at the proposed

location could lead to potential synergies in

life sciences and biomedicine. This location is

a pre-eminent scientific hub and is home to

several world-class institutions. Their

premises are visited by the same type of

foreign visitors (scholars, scientists, etc.) that

EMA receives, demonstrating the suitability

and good connectivity of this location.

RIGHT NEXT TO THE LARGEST R&D

FACILITY

In the immediate vicinity of the proposed

location is the largest R&D campus in

Slovakia (Slovak Academy of Sciences) which

is home to numerous scientific institutes and

hundreds of researchers. Scientific institutes

located on the campus include:

- Institute of Experimental

Pharmacology and Toxicology

- Neuroimmunological Institute

- Institute for Heart Research

- Institute of Virology

- Institute of Molecular Biology

- Institute of Experimental

Endocrinology

- Institute of Experimental Oncology

- Institute of Clinical and Translation

Research

- Department of Zoology

28

BIOMEDICINE SCIENCE PARK

One of the research institutes in the R&D

campus is the newly opened state-of-the-art

University Science Park for Biomedicine

(BioMedPark). It is the largest biomedical

research facility in Slovakia with more than

18,000 m2 of laboratory and office space and can

host over 500 researchers and support staff.

Scientific research includes basic, clinical and

applied research and covers diseases such as

cancer, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular and

autoimmune diseases (which overlap EMA’s own

professional focus).

UNIVERSITY RESEARCH HUB

Furthermore, about 3 km to the south, is the

largest university campus in Slovakia (including

natural science and engineering faculties of

Comenius University and the Slovak Technical

University).

The area is also home to the Slovak Centre of

Scientific and Technical Information, a

specialized scientific library and the national

R&D information centre tasked also with

popularization of science.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT PLANS

The world-class Slovak IT security company ESET,

has announced its plans to build a large campus

nearby, combining its HQ with a new IT research

facility.

29

5

ATTRACTIVE FOR

CURRENT AND

FUTURE TALENT

30

DEVELOPED AND PERSPECTIVE REGION

Slovakia’s high-income economy is among the

fastest growing in the EU. The Bratislava region

also has one of the highest concentrations of FDI

in Slovakia (69% of total FDI), which has been

one of the main drivers of its rapid economic

growth. Unemployment in the Bratislava region

is only 3.64% (May 2017), lower than the rate in

London.

The Bratislava region is economically the most

developed region of Slovakia. In 2015, the region

was ranked the fifth wealthiest region by GDP

per capita (out of more than 260 EU regions).

This long-term growth creates plentiful

employment opportunities in the city and the

wider region, providing a wide range of well-

paid career options for the partners and spouses

of EMA employees.

Key opportunity areas in Bratislava include:

service centres (shared services centres and

business process outsourcing centres),

information and communications technology,

financial services, manufacturing, healthcare,

design, marketing and academia. Bratislava is

also a city with entrepreneurial spirit and

provides a good environment for small

entrepreneurs and start-ups.

Since Bratislava is within commuting distance

from Vienna, partners of EMA staff would also

have the option of working in the Austrian

capital.

PLENTIFUL JOB PROSPECTS FOR EXPATS

Bratislava offers diverse career prospects for

spouses and partners of EMA employees

whether they speak the local language or not.

The Slovak job market is fully open to all EU (and

EEA) member states who do not require any

further authorization to work here. As part of

Slovakia’s relocation package, we will provide

dedicated assistance for partners of EMA staff in

identifying relevant job opportunities.

In May 2017, the Central Labour Office recorded

approx. 10,700 job openings in Bratislava.

However, the actual number was higher as the

registration of open positions is not obligatory.

According to publicly available data from the

largest job portal in Slovakia (Profesia.sk), there

are thousands of positions which could be

potentially suitable for family members of EMA

staff. In July 2017, this portal registered about

3,000 positions for English speakers, about 600

for German speakers and up to 100 French

speaking positions.

DIVERSE WORK OPPORTUNITIES

Many multinational companies with branches in

Bratislava employ foreigners without Slovak

language skills. This diverse group of employers

ranges from manufacturing (automotive,

chemical or electronics industry) to service

centres and information technology.

Additional job opportunities are offered by

numerous professional services companies (big

four companies, international law firms and

consultancy companies). As the capital and

political centre of Slovakia, Bratislava also

provides attractive job opportunities at foreign

embassies and at many non-governmental

organizations in their local branches (Amnesty

International, Transparency International,

Greenpeace and others).

31

INTERNATIONAL SERVICE CENTRES –

ONE OF THE TOP SECTORS IN SLOVAKIA

Job opportunities for expats are abundant in

shared services & business process outsourcing

centres which are one of the most important

sectors in Slovakia. Their operations are diverse

and cover areas such as finance, accounting, IT,

procurement, sales, and customer support.

Currently, there are more than 60 such centres in

Slovakia (mostly in Bratislava) employing more

than 30,000 employees, 13% of which are

foreign nationals. By definition, these centres

require multilingual competences. All employees

must speak English and 57% speak English plus

at least one other core language (such as

German, French, Italian, or Spanish).

International service centres in Bratislava include:

Accenture, Adient, Amazon, AT&T, Allianz, Dell,

Deutsche Telekom, Henkel, HPE, IBM, ING GSO,

Johnson Controls, Lenovo, Mondelez, Orange,

Swiss Re, Siemens, Zürich Insurance group, and

Yanfeng. In many cases these centres actively

search for native language speakers from across

Europe.

Information technology is another major sector

in Slovakia which provides opportunities also for

foreign language professionals (e.g. ESET, Atos

or SAP).

32

COSMOPOLITAN AND EXPAT FRIENDLY

Bratislava has always had a cosmopolitan

character as evidenced by centuries of peaceful

coexistence between various ethnic and religious

groups. Today, Bratislava is becoming

increasingly popular among expats. Currently,

there are about 35,000 foreigners employed in

Slovakia (37% annual increase since 2015), of

which 12,000 are employed in the Bratislava

region. Additionally, there are more than 10,000

foreign students studying at Slovak universities,

mostly in Bratislava. In total, there are about

93,000 foreigners living in Slovakia, 55% of which

are citizens of other EU countries.

The diverse community of about 50,000 EU

nationals living and working in Slovakia will

facilitate easier transition of current EMA staff

into their new environment. There are significant

expat communities from those countries which

have the largest share of employees at EMA.

Expats from the most commonly represented

nationalities can be found in the table below:

EU Country Expats with residence

permits in Slovakia

Poland 5,444

Germany 4,309

Italy 2,583

Austria 2,286

United Kingdom 1,871

France 1,377

Spain 932

Source: Ministry of Interior (as of 30 June 2016)

SAFETY FIRST

Bratislava can be regarded as a relatively safer,

quieter, less stressful alternative than London.

According to a survey by Numbeo, Bratislava is

viewed as safer than the current seat of EMA.

Source: Numbeo (as of 13 July 2017)

Note: Higher score indicates better results with the exception

of Crime index where lower score represents better ranking.

The Global Peace Index ranked Slovakia as the

26th most peaceful country globally, compared

to the UK’s 41st place. Similarly, Slovakia scored

well on the Global Terrorism Index and was

ranked 130th as regards the lowest risk (impact)

of terrorism.

68.92

31,1

89.73

64.04

53.52

46.48

72.57

48.14

Safetyindex

Crimeindex

Safetywalkingaloneduring

daylight

Safetywalkingaloneduringnight

Bratislava London

33

LEISURE ACTIVITIES

There is an endless choice of leisure

activities in and around Bratislava. The

city and surrounding areas provide its

residents and visitors with a wide range

of cultural entertainment, social activities

as well as outdoor and all year round

sports opportunities. For more

information refer to the annexed

Candidacy Brochure (Annex 5).

QUALITY OF LIFE

Bratislava offers excellent living standards that

will help EMA retain employees and attract new

talent. According to the Mercer Quality of Life

Survey, Bratislava consistently ranks near the first

third of 229 cities, and is improving its ranking

each year.

In addition, Numbeo’s Quality of Life index

(often used by major news outlets) gives

Bratislava a higher score than London (costs of

living, safety and healthcare are also taken into

account in this rating).

The Globalization and World Cities Network

(GaWC), a ranking of cities considered to be an

important node in the global economic system,

ranked Bratislava as a „beta city“ taking into

account its connectivity as well as economic,

political and cultural influence. The Slovak capital

ranked higher than Rotterdam, Manchester,

Seattle, Lyon, Stuttgart, Calgary, Edinburgh, San

Diego and others.

The Slovaks enjoy a good work life balance, as

measured by the OECD index. The Slovak

Republic also ranks high in other measures of

well-being in the OECD Better Life Index.

Bratislava has considerably lower prices than

London, giving expats a higher living standard

compared to their home countries. According to

the Mercer Cost of Living ranking, London

ranked as the 17th most expensive city globally,

and Bratislava was ranked 136th.

34

HIGH-QUALITY HEALTHCARE

Slovakia has a modern, reliable and extensive

healthcare system. The network is

characterized by unlimited access to all levels

of care and free choice of providers. Slovak

healthcare facilities are typically used also by

expats living in Slovakia, since doctors and

dentists in Bratislava generally have a good

command of English and the quality is

comparable to their home countries.

The Slovak health care system is based on

universal coverage and compulsory health

contributions paid to a health insurance

company of the employee’s choice.

Bratislava has a high concentration of hospitals.

There are 18 hospitals and 21 separate clinics

including 9 private medical centres. There are

approximately 4,000 hospital beds catered to by

more than 1,300 highly skilled doctors.

Bratislava is also home to the largest hospital in

Slovakia - the University Hospital in Bratislava, which

comprises five hospitals providing about 57% of all

hospital beds in Bratislava. There are around 1,400

doctors, including those providing outpatient care.

One of the constituent hospitals (L. Dérer hospital at

Kramáre) is located just 1.5 km from the proposed

location.

According to the Numbeo Healthcare System Index,

the overall quality of the healthcare services

provided in Bratislava is similar to those in London.

Healthcare System Index:

Bratislava London

Skill and competence of medical staff 72.73 (High) 66.93 (High)

Equipment for modern diagnosis and treatment 66.67 (High) 85.13 (Very High)

London Bratislava

64.37 69.14

35

HOUSING EMA STAFF

As part of the relocation package, Slovakia will

provide dedicated assistance to EMA staff to find

suitable accommodation.

Bratislava currently has a fast-growing real estate

market. In 2016, construction started on around

6,800 new apartment units in the Bratislava

region and about 4,800 units were completed.

More than 18,000 units were under construction

and many of these would be available at the

time of EMA’s relocation to Bratislava.

All types of apartments are being added to the

market and most of them are perfect for family

life (3 and more room units).

The breakdown of completed apartments in

2016 (Bratislava region) by number of rooms:

According to an analysis by Bencot, at the end of

1Q 2017, there were 4,800 apartments on offer in

Bratislava’s new developments and about 1,500

new-built apartments were sold. The average

unit price in Bratislava was € 2,521/m2.

8%

17%

29%

34%

12%

1-room 2-room 3-room 4-room 5-roomand more

36

Examples of Average Sales and Rent Prices:

Residential Properties / Average Sales Prices:

Studio 1-room 2-room 3-room 4-room 5-room Family

House Villa

Price in EUR/m2 Price in EUR

Bratislava

City Centre 2,871 2,857 2,486 2,441 2,435 2,416 667,610 1,064,823

Bratislava

Inner City 2,321 2,223 2,129 1,890 1,789 1,924 355,501 657,805

Residential Properties / Average Rent Prices:

Studio 1-room 2-room 3-room 4-room 5-room Family

House Villa

Price in EUR/month

Bratislava

City Centre 377 499 676 973 1,619 1,688 2,336 4,024

Bratislava

Inner City 369 407 534 683 967 1,315 1,749 3,145

New housing developments will provide future

EMA employees and their families with a wide

array of housing options. These range from

comfortable apartments in the historical city

centre to family homes in green suburbs, or

modern spacious apartments in high-rise

residential projects.

Examples of housing projects can be seen in the

attached Candidacy Brochure (Annex 5).

Housing in Bratislava also meets EMA’s price

variability requirements as all price options are

available. Luxury villas and high-end apartments

are on offer as well as middle-class residential

projects in the inner city or in the suburbs.

In general, Bratislava real estate costs are

significantly lower than in London. According to

a Numbeo survey, rental prices in Bratislava are

only 27.2% of rental prices in London.

37

6

INTERNATIONAL

SCHOOLS

38

DIVERSE EDUCATION OPTIONS

The Slovak education system provides

consistent, high-quality education at all levels of

the school system. Education options include

state-funded public schools, private schools,

church schools and schools offering international

curricula. Public schools in Slovakia provide

primary and secondary education free of charge.

State-run higher education is also free for full-

time students, provided that the standard length

of study is not exceeded.

Bratislava offers a wide range of schooling

facilities for expatriate children ranging from

preschools through primary and secondary

education. These schools offer various

recognized international curricula in English.

There are also schools teaching in German and

French. At various schools, international curricula

can be found alongside Slovak curricula.

Capacity at nurseries and primary schools is

growing steadily and would be able to

accommodate the needs of the Agency’s staff.

The Slovak Government will consider setting up

a European school or an accredited European

school to provide education for the children of

EMA staff. Such a school could be opened before

the Agency is relocated to Bratislava.

Slovakia has a strong a tradition of extracurricular

activities for students at different types of schools.

These are provided by schools, or by various types

of school facilities, both state and private. Among

the most popular are art schools, which provide

primary and secondary art education, and

language schools. School facilities also include

“school clubs” and “free time centres”.

The Slovak education environment places great

emphasis on healthy eating habits. There is a

rigorously planned and controlled dining system

aimed at providing appropriate nutritional value

and varied diet for students.

CONVENIENT LOCATION FOR EMA STAFF

The proposed site is just a few minutes’ drive from

3 top international schools in Bratislava (incl.

kindergartens, primary and secondary schools)

while an international nursery is within the

business park.

39

NURSERIES AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

Capacity at nurseries is continuously growing, and

these offer about 22,000 places in the Bratislava

region and approximately 14,000 in Bratislava.

This represents approx. 5% annual growth

indicating this is a highly flexible market which

will also be able to accommodate children of the

Agency’s staff.

The city has more than 140 public and private

nurseries offering state-of-the-art learning

programs focusing on educational, emotional and

physical development. In addition to several

public nursery classes teaching in foreign

languages (German, French), there are also 5

international private nurseries offering English,

German and French tuition and Montessori

programmes.

Capacity at primary schools in Bratislava is

steadily growing at a similar rate with about

45,000 school places in the Bratislava region, of

which around 30,000 are in Bratislava.

Primary school tuition is provided by 6

international schools in a number of foreign

languages. Most of these schools also provide

secondary education, so often there is no need

to transfer to a different school.

40

SECONDARY SCHOOLS

The secondary school qualifications of the adult

Slovak population is the highest in the OECD area.

Upper secondary graduation rates for young

people aged 25 or under are among the highest

in the OECD countries.

For children of EMA staff, there are 6 international

private high schools teaching international

curricula. Most of these schools cater to the needs

of expats’ children and offer internationally

recognized study programs and diplomas, such as

IB, AP, MYP programmes, German Abitur, etc.

Their graduates often attend prestigious

American, British or other European universities.

There are also many options for expatriate

children to attend bilingual secondary education

with programs in English, German, French,

Spanish, Russian, Italian and Bulgarian. Some

bilingual schools are ranked among the best

schools in Slovakia. Bilingual grammar schools in

Bratislava offer more than 3,000 places for

students (incl. 8-year grammar schools).

There is also an additional option to attend

international schools in Vienna. In total, there are

9 international schools (capacity of 5,700).

For children from German-speaking background,

there is the option to attend school facilities in

neighbouring Austrian municipalities close to

Bratislava.

41

PROFILES OF INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS IN BRATISLAVA10:

10 Lists and overviews in this chapter are not exhaustive.

QSI International School of Bratislava (QSIB)

www.qsi.org/slovakia/svk

(nursery, primary school, secondary school)

- QSIB is a private school offering American

international education in the English

language for children aged 2 to 18. The

current school capacity is about 290

students.

- QSIB is accredited by the Middle States

Association, and upon graduation

students gain an International

Baccalaureate Diploma or other diplomas

recognized by colleges and universities

around the world.

- Facilities are located approx. 8 min. drive

from the proposed location of EMA. The

school has 35 classrooms, a library,

computer laboratories, science

laboratories, theater, and playground

areas. Other facilities include an indoor

swimming pool, fitness facility, dance and

exercise rooms, gymnasium, snack bar

and cafeteria.

British International School Bratislava

www.nordangliaeducation.com

(nursery, primary school, secondary school)

- The British International School

Bratislava is part of Nord Anglia

Education, a global family of 44

international schools, providing

education to over 38,400 students from

preschool to secondary education.

- The school has a capacity of 770

students and more than 45 nationalities

are represented.

- Facilities are located approx. 8 min. drive

from the proposed location of EMA.

Cambridge International School Bratislava

www.cambridgeschool.eu

(nursery, primary school, secondary school)

- Cambridge International School is an

English language international school

licensed to operate an international

curriculum based on programmes from

Cambridge International Education and

the UK national curriculum.

- The school is located close to the

proposed new location of EMA, just a 4

min. drive away. The school has students

from more than 20 different countries

who are taught by native English

teachers. Maximum class size is 18

students.

42

English International School of Bratislava

www.eisbratislava.com

(nursery, primary school, secondary school)

- English International School of Bratislava

(EISB) is a non-selective international

school in Bratislava.

- The school follows the IB Middle years

programme (MYP), and from 2017/2018

academic year it will offer the IB

Diploma Programme (IB DP). The school

currently has around 160 students and is

firmly based on the academic standards

found in a typical British independent

school.

Galileo School

www.galileoschool.sk

(nursery, primary school, secondary school)

- Galileo School is located approx. 24 min.

drive from the proposed location of

EMA. It is a private school offering

Cambridge IGCSE and A/AS Level

qualifications as well as SAT testing.

- The school also partners with British

Council to provide further exams and is

a UCAS registered centre.

- Galileo School provides education to

children aged 3 to 19 and the maximum

number of students per class is 16.

École Française de Bratislava

www.ecolefrancaise.sk

(nursery, primary school, secondary school)

- The French School in Bratislava was

established in 2003 and is part of the

network of school establishments

administered by the Agency for French

Education Abroad. This network

comprises about 500 schools in 135

countries, attended by over 330,000

students of all nationalities.

- Students are educated in line with both

the French and Slovak curricula. The

school has currently more than 200

students.

Deutsche Schule Bratislava

www.deutscheschule.sk

(nursery, primary school, secondary school)

- Deutsche Schule Bratislava was opened

in 2005 and is a German language

international school in Bratislava.

- It provides nursery, primary and

grammar school education. Tuition is

based on the German curriculum from

the Baden-Württemberg state, regarded

as one of the most advanced curricula in

Germany. Slovak speaking students can

attain German and a Slovak high school

diploma.

43

BILINGUAL SCHOOLS AND FOREIGN-LANGUAGE NURSERIES:

School name Education level Languages Type

Gymnázium Jura Hronca

www.gjh.sk

Grammar School

English public

Súkromné Gymnázium Česká

www.gymnaziumceska.sk

Grammar School English private

Bilingválne Gymnázium C.S. Lewisa

www.bilgym.sk

Grammar School English public

Gymnázium, Pankúchova 6

www.gympaba.sk

Grammar School English public

Evanjelické lýceum v Bratislave

www.evlyceum.sk

Secondary school English public

Gymnázium Metodova 2

www.gmet.edupage.org

Grammar School French public

Gymnázium Bilíkova

www.bs.gymbilba.sk

Grammar School German public

Obchodná akadémia Imricha Karvaša Bratislava

www.new.oaikba.sk

Secondary school German public

Gymnázium Ladislava Sáru

www.gymls.edu.sk

Grammar School Italian public

Gymnázium Alberta Einsteina

www.einsteinova.sk

Grammar School Russian public

Gymnázium Federica Garcíu Lorcu

www.gymhron.sk

Grammar School Spanish public

Bulharská ZŠ a gymnázium Christa Boteva, Záporožská

www.bsou.sk

Primary and

Grammar School

Bulgarian private

Súkromná ZŠ s vyučovacím jazykom slovenským a ruským

www.ruskaskola.sk

Primary school Russian

private

Súkromná ZŠ Wonderschool, Bilíkova ul.

www.wonderland.sk

Primary school English private

Súkromná ZŠ ESPRIT, Majerníkova ul.

www.sgesprit.sk

Primary school English private

Súkromná ZŠ Forel International School, Kremeľská

www.forel.sk

Primary school English private

Unity House International Montessori Kindergarten

www.montessori-school.sk

Nursery English private

Brilliant Stars Intl. Primary School and Kindergarten

www.brilliantstars.sk

Nursery and Primary

school

English private

Babyland

www.babyland-centrum.sk

Nursery English private

Fantasy

www.skolka-fantasy.sk

Nursery English private

Fairyland

www.fairyland.sk

Nursery English private

Anjelik

www.anjelik.eu

Nursery English private

Miniclub

www.mini-club.sk

Nursery English private

44

LIST OF INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS IN VIENNA:

As Bratislava is within commuting distance of

Vienna, Austrian international schools would also

be an available option for EMA employees.

There are 350 public nurseries and day-care

centres in Vienna with a total capacity of 86,000.

In addition to 700 public schools, nine

international schools in Vienna have a total

capacity of 5,702 places, of which 732 are

currently free (French: 366, English: 350, Swedish:

16).

School name Languages Type

Amadeus International School Vienna

www.amadeus-vienna.at

English private

Vienna International School

www.vis.ac.at

English private

The American International School · Vienna

www.ais.at

English private

Danube International School

www.danubeschool.com

English private

Vienna Elementary School/Vienna European School

www.vienna-elementary-school.at

English private

Klosterneuburg International School

www.bgklosterneuburg.ac.at

English public

Internatioanl Christian School of Vienna

www.icsv.at

English private

Lycee Francais

www.lyceefrancais.at

French private

Mayflower Christian Academy

www.mayflower-christian-academy.at

English private

The Swedish School in Vienna

www.svenskaskolan.at

Swedish private

Japanese School in Vienna

www.japaneseschool.at

Japanese private

Arche Noah

www.archenoah.vienna.at

English and German private

Kindergarten Schmetterling

www.schmetterling.at

English and German private

Kinderoase Weimar

www.kinderoase-weimar.at

English and German private

United Children

www.unitedchildren.at

English and German private

The Children’s House

www.montessori-vienna.at

English private

International Montessori Preschool

www.montessori-preschool-vienna.com

English private

International Private Children House

www.privat-kindergarten.com

English private

Vienna English Preschool

www.viennaenglishpreschool.com

English private

45

7

CONTINUITY

46

OPERATIONS CONTINUITY

To ensure problem-free relocation of EMA,

Slovakia offers a custom-designed office

building which meets all technical and

accessibility requirements and will be completed

in time for relocation. Slovakia plans to provide

financial and other assistance during the

transition process to further unburden the

Agency.

Detailed information on the proposed building

and terms offered by Slovakia are stated in the

following annexes to this offer:

- Annex 1: Real Estate - Information Booklet

- Annex 2: Real Estate - Compliance Checklist

- Annex 3: Heads of Terms

SEAT AGREEMENT

Slovakia will enter into a headquarters

agreement with EMA on terms comparative to

the existing EU agencies in line with EU’s

Guidelines for headquarters agreements11. The

agreement will be concluded before the Agency

starts its operational phase.

THE PROPOSED OFFICE BUILDING:

WESTEND PLAZZA

Slovakia has identified Westend Plazza as the

most suitable seat of the new EMA’s

headquarters. This building will ensure business

continuity and long-term efficient operations of

the Agency. Westend Plazza is a new office

development currently under construction. Upon

its completion, it will be the latest addition to

the already established Westend business park.

With over 100,000 m2 of modern office and retail

space, it is one of the largest office parks in

Bratislava. The surrounding area provides diverse

amenities and recreational options (Annex 1).

The site is easily accessible for visitors and

located in a major scientific hub (Chapters 1 - 4).

MEETS ALL THE PREREQUISITES

This building meets all the prerequisites set by

the Procedure and related documents. For many

specifications, these premises provide

substantially better conditions than the essential

requirements. Please refer to the attached

summary table showing compliance with all

prerequisites (Annex 2).

REAL ESTATE PROPOSITION - KEY POINTS

- New real estate development under construction

- 36,000 m2 of leasable area (exceeding EMA

requirements creating space for future growth)

- 1,100 parking spots; barrier-free building

- Turn-key finish solution

- EMA as a single tenant option

- A-class office standard; BREEAM Excellent

- 300-seat auditorium; fully flexible conf. rooms

- Dual electricity supply - 2 different power-routes

- Dual independent optic cable connectivity

- Sufficient storage facilities in the building

UNBURDENING THE AGENCY

As part of our proposal, Slovakia plans to

arrange via a dedicated state-owned SPV:

- a complete turnkey solution established in full

partnership with EMA,

- act as landlord for EMA for the rent-free period,

- building related maintenance services during the

entire rent-free period.

Financial and lease terms are covered in Annex 3.

For special conditions offered please refer also

to Annex 4. The main components of the

proposal are as follows:

- rent-free period for 2 years,

- state to cover moving and fit out costs,

- state to cover operations and maintenance costs

for the rent-free period.

11 Guidelines with standard provisions for headquarters agreements of EU decentralised agencies.

47

Westend Plazza - Location

Visualization

Construction Progress

July 2017

48

READY IN TIME FOR TRANSITION

The proposed building is already under construction and will be finished at

least 3 months before the assumed withdrawal date. This means there is

sufficient time for the transition to the new HQ eliminating the need for a

provisional solution. This is clearly shown in our relocation timeline below.

REALISTIC TIMELINE

Construction works on this building started in 2015, The structure will be

ready for fit out in Q2 2018 and put to use in Q4 2018 (most likely in

November 2018, latest by 1 January 2019).

RELOCATION PLAN

In line with the ongoing construction process, Slovakia prepared a relocation

plan to ensure that the transition itself will be carried out without any major

disruptions to the Agency’s operations (please refer to the table below).

DEDICATED RELOCATION TEAM AND TEMPORARY PREMISES

In order to facilitate smooth relocation of the Agency, Slovakia offers to set

up a dedicated expert team that will be working in partnership with EMA to

support the transition process. In addition, we propose to provide temporary

premises to EMA’s transition staff.

Q3 2017

Q4 2017

Q1 2018

Q2 2018

Q3 2018

Q4 2018

January 2019

CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

construction in

progress

construction in progress incl. customization

structure

completed

façade assembling

façade completed

installations of building systems

shell & core building completed

setting up & testing all building systems

grand opening /

in use CUSTOM DESIGNED

FIT OUT

customization pre-design

preparatory works & team setup

workplace analysis

& strategic EMA brief

fit out requirements

approval, concept design

& developed design

technical design & tendering,

fit out process started

fit out of auditorium & office

floors completed

installation and security testing, finalizing fit outs

RELOCATION OF EMA

analysis of EMA

needs and special requirements

moving project development

detailed moving plan

preparation for the move

moving in

- moving timeframe - employee census & assets inventory

- relocation budget - architect & vendors selection

- floor plan creation

- packing schedule: in advance vs. last minute items

- internal & external communications plan - document management plan

- permitting and registration procedures

49

BUSINESS CONTINUITY

Slovakia plans to ensure knowledge retention by

motivating current staff to relocate to Bratislava,

and by engaging the Slovak State Institute for

Drug Control during the transition. In addition,

we provide information on the qualified labour

force available in the fields relevant to the

Agency’s mission that could be recruited as

temporary staff during or after the relocation.

BRATISLAVA – ATTRACTIVE FOR TALENT

Bratislava, as a city with a very high quality of

life, is an attractive prospect for relocation for

current EMA employees. The Slovak capital

offers world-class international schools, a

modern healthcare system, diverse housing

options and extensive job opportunities for

partners of EMA staff. This fact will bolster the

Agency’s future ability to attract qualified staff

from across the EU (for detailed information on

the quality of life please refer to Chapters 5 and

6 of this offer).

RELOCATION PACKAGE

In order to unburden current EMA staff during

the relocation process, Slovakia proposes to

provide individualized support programme with

the following key components:

- London-based help desk to provide information

and assistance on moving, housing, international

schools, healthcare system and job prospects in

Bratislava.

- Pre-move visit to Bratislava.

- Arrangement of moving services for EMA families.

Contribution to moving costs.

- Bratislava-based transition consultancy to provide

individually tailored assistance to the employees

and their family members with immigration and

permitting procedures, house-hunting, booking

of international schools, healthcare and insurance

advisory, introduction to expat communities, etc.

- Specialized HR advisory to investigate career

opportunities for family members and personally

guide them through the job-hunting process.

- Framework arrangements with top healthcare

facilities, international schools, etc., to provide

discounts and other benefits.

- Slovak language and culture courses for staff and

families. Comprehensive multilanguage guides.

- Other financial allowances (temporary housing,

rental car, premium healthcare, tuition, etc.).

For a complete overview of all benefits and

special conditions for EMA and its staff please

refer to Annex 4.

On top of that, Slovakia will investigate other

options how to make the environment in

Bratislava even more attractive for EMA’s talent.

The Slovak Government will consider setting up

a European school or an accredited European

school to provide education for the children of

EMA staff. Such a school could be opened

before the Agency is relocated to Bratislava.

PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES

Full privileges and immunities under Protocol

No. 7 to the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU

will be applicable to EMA and its staff. Slovakia

will commit to them in the headquarters

agreement and will consider also additional

privileges and immunities comparable to the

most favorable conditions enjoyed by existing

EU agencies.

STRENGTHENING THE SLOVAK REGULATOR

AND V4 COOPERATION

As part of our proposal, Slovakia plans to make

substantial investments into the State Institute

for Drug Control (SIDC). Additional personnel

and technical equipment will increase SIDC’s

capacity and expertise, mainly in the following

50

areas: central registration proceedings,

supervision and IT capabilities for registration

services, pharmacovigilance and clinical trials.

Capacity-increasing measures will be

implemented also at the Institute for State

Control of Veterinary Biologicals and

Medicaments (ISCVBM). Relevant institutes of

the Slovak Academy of Sciences (Institute of

Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology and

Biomedicine Centre) will also be strengthened to

provide support to EMA by complementing the

activities of Slovak regulators.

The Slovak Ministry of Health has already

initiated negotiations with other V4 countries

aimed at strengthening cooperation and

building dedicated support framework between

their respective regulatory authorities. By setting

up a network of operational assistance these

agencies will be ready to provide further support

to EMA during transition.

Slovakia proposes to coordinate these activities

in close partnership with EMA to find the most

appropriate form of cooperation that will ensure

business continuity of the Agency.

AVAILABILITY OF TEMPORARY STAFF

The Slovak education system and labour market

provide sufficient amount of highly-qualified

experts who could be temporarily hired by EMA

during the transition.

Slovakia has 15 healthcare and life sciences

oriented faculties with more than 28,000

students and around 9,500 graduates. The most

commonly represented study fields among them

are medicine, pharmacy, public health, veterinary

and natural sciences.

Administrative and technical staff is also easily

available on the Slovak market. Only in

Bratislava, there are almost 40,000 students and

14,000 graduates in relevant study fields

(Economics, Finances, IT, etc.).

Given the considerably lower average salaries in

Slovakia compared to existing EU agencies, it is

clear that administrative staff and experts would

be able to temporarily cover the Agency’s needs.

Slovakia proposes to provide appropriate

assistance in this matter.

R&D FOCUS ON BIOMEDICINE

Slovakia has identified biomedicine and

biotechnology as one of the three priorities of its

R&D specialization (RIS3 Strategy).

This could lead to potential synergies between

EMA and Slovak research institutions.

Areas of focus include: new diagnostic and

therapeutic approaches for cancer, heart disease,

blood vessels and brain, endocrine and

metabolic disorders, infectious diseases and

allergies, pharmacological and industrial

biotechnologies. Almost 2,000 researchers work

in this segment in Slovakia and they publish

more than one fourth of all Slovak publications

in international scientific journals.

INVESTMENTS INTO SCIENCE

Slovakia aims to transform its economy into a

knowledge economy by the year 2020. To this

end, the Government is focusing strongly on

support into R&D and high value-added sectors.

As part of this effort, almost EUR 300 million has

been appropriated to new science parks and

research centres.

51

RAPIDLY GROWING LIFE SCIENCES AND

PHARMACEUTICAL SECTOR

The Slovak capital is a city with a fast growing

life sciences sector. According to data from “fDi

Markets”, Bratislava ranks fourth among

European cities with regard to job creation for

the life sciences.

Pharmaceutical and life sciences sector in

Slovakia is represented mainly by the production

of pharmaceutical products and medical devices.

Although this sector accounts for relatively small

share on the entire industrial production, it has a

great growth potential.

KEY NUMBERS

Source: SARIO

Production of pharmaceutical products:

15 Companies

2,153 People employed

€181 million Revenue generated

Production of medical devices:

18 Companies

2,900 People employed

€223 million Revenue generated

52

By clicking on the banner below we invite you to watch the video presentation of the Slovak candidacy:

TE SLOVAK REPUBLIC:

Offer to Host the European Medicines Agency

28 July 2017

www.sk4ema.sk