EU launches the Covid “green pass”: here are the 3 ways to travel freely
Covid green certificate will be available, free of charge, in digital or paper format. The Commission proposal will have to be discussed.
It is not called a passport but a “digital green certificate” to facilitate safe free movement within the EU during the pandemic. Evidence that a person has been vaccinated against Covid-19, received a negative test result, or has recovered from Covid-19. It will be available, free of charge, in digital or paper format. It will include a QR code to ensure the security and authenticity of the certificate. It is the legislative proposal of the European Commission that establishes a common reference framework to facilitate coexistence with Covid-19. The proposal, on which not all governments agree, will be discussed next week at the summit of leaders.
Three ways to travel
New EU pass “is not a vaccination passport, but a green certificate to avoid divisions and blockades” between EU countries, “facilitate the movement of European citizens” and restart tourism in view of the summer “. This was stated by the EU Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, in an interview with a group of international media. “The pass is interoperable and binding for EU countries, to avoid any form of discrimination it offers” three alternatives “to return to travel: to demonstrate vaccination, negativity to a test or recovery from Covid”.
No to discrimination
Commission will open a “window” to ensure that certificates can be verified across the EU and will support Member States in the technical implementation of the “passes”. Member States still remain responsible in deciding on the choice of public health restrictions for travelers that can be waived, but they will have to apply these exemptions in the same way to travelers holding a digital green certificate. Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders indicated that the digital green certificate “will not constitute a prerequisite for free movement and will not discriminate in any way: a common European approach will not only help us to gradually restore free movement within the EU and avoiding market fragmentation is also an opportunity to influence global standards and set a good example based on our European values such as data protection ”.
The three certificates
The document will cover three types of certificates: vaccination certificates, test certificates (NAAT / RT-PCR test or rapid antigen test) and certificates for people who have recovered from Covid-19. They will be issued in digital or paper format. They will have a QR (bar) code that contains the necessary key information and a digital signature to ensure that the certificate is authentic.The certificates will be available free of charge and in the official language (s) of the issuing Member State and in English. All people, vaccinated and unvaccinated, should benefit from a digital green certificate when traveling to the EU. To prevent discrimination against people who have not been vaccinated, the Commission proposes to create not only an interoperable vaccination certificate, but also Covid-19 test certificates and certificates for people who have recovered from Covid-19. members accept proof of vaccination to waive certain public health restrictions such as testing or quarantine, they will be required to accept, under the same conditions, vaccination certificates issued under the digital green certificate system.
Also valid in Norway and Switzerland
This obligation would be limited to vaccines that have received a marketing authorization in the EU, but Member States can decide to accept other vaccines in addition. Certificates will include a limited set of information such as name, date of birth, date of issue, relevant vaccine / test / recovery information, and a unique certificate identifier. These data can only be checked to confirm and verify the authenticity and validity of the certificates. The document will be valid in all Member States and open to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. It should be issued to EU citizens and their family members regardless of their nationality as well as to citizens of third countries residing in the EU and to visitors who have the right to travel to other Member States. This is a temporary measure that will be suspended once the World Health Organization declares the end of the international health emergency. Brussels indicates that in order to be ready before the summer, this proposal needs swift adoption by Parliament and the Council. However, this is not to be taken for granted, especially at the level of governments where divisions have already surfaced.
Austria is ahead of the game
But there are also those who move ahead of the European roadmap. In fact, Austria will introduce a sort of “Covid pass” in April for people who have undergone a negative swab. “We do not want to wait for the introduction at European level – Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced after the Council of Ministers in Vienna – It will be a first step and preliminary work in view of European application”. Through a QR code, the tested person can have the negative report on his mobile phone. This electronic access system is expected to go live in mid-April. “By June at the latest”, the immune systems will also be registered in the system, whether they have been cured or vaccinated.
