MILAN, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Italian authorities on Monday praised the comprehensive efforts made by Milan in its bid to host the European Medicines Agency (EMA), despite strong disappointment for the city's failure in the race.
Milan lost out to Amsterdam by a very small margin in the bid, which saw 19 European Union (EU) cities initially submitting their proposals to give a new home to the agency.
The decision was taken in Brussels on Monday afternoon, after EU affairs ministers held three rounds of secret ballot.
At the end of two rounds, Milan and Amsterdam were left as sole frontrunners, according to Ansa news agency. In the third and final voting, the two contenders got the same number of preferences, and the final decision came after a coin toss.
"Thanks to Milan, and to all of the people who have worked hard for EMA (bid)," Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni wrote on Twitter soon after the announcement from EMA. "What a joke! Milan's candidacy was strong," Gentiloni also wrote.
Operating since 1995, the EMA evaluates and supervises the use of medicines on humans and animals in the EU, as such playing a crucial role in approving new pharmaceutical products for sale within the single market.
Due to Britain's decision to leave the EU, the agency has planned to relocate from London by March 2019.
Milan -- Italy's major economic hub, located in the northern Lombardy region -- had based its candidacy on a strong research and business environment. In latest years, and especially since bidding to host the 2015 Expo, the city made clear its ambition to become a center of excellence for scientific research, medicine, and life sciences.
"We have no reason to conceal our disappointment, because we have truly believed in this (candidacy)," Milan mayor Beppe Sala told a joint press conference with Lombardy's governor on Monday. "Yet, everyone must acknowledged we have competed at the same level with Europe's best capital cities, thanks to the fact that Milan is used to a leading role in this country, and will stick to it," he said.
