Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/856150
WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT WEDNESDAY EDITION €1.00 Newspaper post PAGE 9 • Editorial WEDNESDAY • 2 AUGUST 2017 • ISSUE 549 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY PAGE 8 PAUL COCKS THE government has pledged to build a bespoke 30,000 square metre state-of- the-art premises at Smart City if Malta is chosen to host the European Medi- cines Agency (EMA). Malta's is one of 19 bids submitted to be the host country for the headquar- ters of EMA, following an agreement held on 22 June on the procedure lead- ing up to a decision on the relocation of the agency and the European Bank- ing Authority in the context of the United Kingdom's exit from the EU. Presently, the EMA has its headquar- ters in Canary Wharf, London, and employs 900 staff from all over Eu- rope. It is the first to monitor, evalu- ate, and determine the safety of medi- cal and veterinary products before they are sold in the European Single Market. In its bid, Malta offered tax reprieves, free rent for 15 years and a grant for furniture and data services, as well as a bespoke building to give the EMA an environment that responds to their present and future projections in line with the agency's requirements. The official offer document states that the location offered by the Mal- tese government is at Smart City Mal- ta, which is designed as a hub for the knowledge economy. Less than 10 days ago, MaltaToday also revealed that Smart City Malta had signed a promise-of-sale agree- ment with Ricasoli Properties for the sale of land. Malta will build 30,000 sq.m SmartCity premises for EU agency PAGE 5 'Unjust, mistaken and discriminatory' - Hunters attack EU court opinion on trapping YANNICK PACE THE hunting and conserva- tion federation (FKNK) has insisted that Maltese trap- pers were being forced to go through unnecessary obsta- cles to apply two derogations in what was a clear sign that they were being discriminated against by the European Com- mission. Speaking at a press confer- ence, FKNK representative Raymond Cordina insisted that Maltese trappers should be granted the same rights enjoyed by other European trappers. "Why is it that there have been these many obstacles for Malta to apply two simple derogations for it to preserve traditional hunting and trap- ping when every year over 5,000 derogations from the Birds Directive are applied by other EU member states," Cordina asked. A design of the proposed 30,000 sq.m premises being offered to host the European Medicines Agency The Maltese government is promoting residential units at SmartCity as an added bonus The FKNK has criticised the opinion of the EU court's Advocate General