The European Banking Authority and the European Medical Agency will leave London and relocate, respectively, to Paris and Amsterdam. There was the usual ferocious lobbying, but ultimately the choice was open and transparent; it just wasn't particularly clever. The EU could have been more strategic about its future.
The French and Dutch cities were picked out of a hat after being tied with Dublin and Milan at the end of three voting rounds. Drawing lots to assign two important EU agencies may look a bit silly. Indeed, some newspapers in Italy are already crying foul. Yet, until yesterday there was no particular outcry about luck playing a role in the process. Complaining now sounds like sour grapes.
