The organisation was one of the high-profile casualties of Brexit, which lead to its move from London, where it had been based since 2011.
The EBA is an EU-run regulatory authority for banks. Among its responsibilities are running stress tests on banks, supervising regulation and identifying potential weaknesses in banks.
Its arrival in Paris is a boost for French president Emmanuel Macron in his bid for the French capital to become the financial centre of Europe after Britain leaves the EU.
READ ALSO France overtakes Britain and Germany in attractiveness ratings
The authority is now based in the Paris financial district of La Défense. Photo: AFP
The city was involved in a tense eight-way bidding process to host the EBA. Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Poland all submitted bids, with Frankfurt and Dublin joining Paris in the second round, before Frankfurt was knocked out.
The winning bid was decided by votes from the 27 members states of the EU.
Speaking after the decision was made, Macron described it as “a recognition of France’s attractiveness and European commitment.”
Paris accueillera l’Autorité bancaire européenne ! C’est la reconnaissance de l’attractivité et de l’engagement européen de la France. Heureux et fier pour notre pays.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) November 20, 2017
Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Germany's Berenbeg Bank, told Handlesblatt Today: “The EBA of itself is not all that important. But Macron is making France more attractive for businesses of all kinds, including finance.
“It may well be that historians see this as a tipping point.”
The regulatory body is now based in Avenue André Prothin in the La Défense district of Paris.
A spokesman confirmed that the move was completed on Monday, and added: “We currently have 195 people and eight more people will be recruited from July to December, mainly to replace outgoing staff.”
Good morning from Europlaza, the new #EBA #HQ in ??! #EBAinParis
We are now confidently embarking in this unique experience called “Paris”.
We could not help feeling:#proud #European ??#ready#impatient #curious#grateful #engaged
? pour votre accueil chaleureux! pic.twitter.com/TvVl3OiyD7
— EBA News ?? (@EBA_News) 3 June 2019
The office opened in the same week as new figures show that France chalked up the biggest number of manufacturing and R&D projects by foreign investors in Europe last year.
The EBA announced that it was leaving London at the same time as the European Medicines Agency, which is relocating to Amsterdam.
Member comments