The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has been given permission to appeal against the High Court’s judgement last month in favour of the Canary Wharf Group (CWG).
The EMA said it has been granted leave to appeal on the basis that it satisfied the test of ‘reasonable prospects for success’ and for other reasons, such as the public interest.
The EMA said it hadn’t yet decided whether or not it would pursue a costly appeal. The EU agency has until 15 April to file an appeal with the Court of Appeal. The original deadline of 22 March has been extended to 15 April.
Last month CWG successfully won the High Court battle against the EMA in the landmark £500 mln (€580 mln) lease dispute. Mr Justice Marcus Smith found comprehensively in CGW’s favour, rejecting the EMA's case that its 25-year lease of premises in Canary Wharf would be legally ‘frustrated’ as a result of Brexit.
The 20 February judgement allows for EMA to sublet or assign the premises at Churchill Place subject to the landlord’s consent. The EMA said it continued ‘to trust in the cooperation and goodwill of the Canary Wharf Group to find a mutually satisfactory solution before the end of March 2019’.
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