The European Medicines Agency (EMA), located in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, protects and promotes human and animal health by evaluating and monitoring medicines within the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). The Agency's main responsibilities are authorising and monitoring medicines in the EU. Companies apply to it for a single marketing authorisation, which is issued by the European Commission. If granted, this enables the company to market the medicine concerned throughout the EU and the EEA.