The commission also laid out a long-term strategy to gradually lift the lockdown measures, conditional upon each countryâs epidemiological situation. A judgment would be made based on simulations by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, the commission said.
âThe situation with the virus in Europe is still very challenging,â said Stella Kyriakides, the blocâs top health official. âIt is only through a joint approach that we can return safely to full free movement in the E.U.â
Image
Empty streets in Milan on Monday, the day Italy renewed strict regional lockdowns to halt an increase in coronavirus infections.Credit.Alessandro Grassani for The New York Times
Vaccine certificate needed to travel freely? Europe considers idea
Plan will be discussed next week during summit of EU leaders
Associated Press
Updated:
Tags:
(Anteo Marinoni/LaPresse via AP, File) (LaPresse)
BRUSSELS – The European Union’s executive body proposed Wednesday issuing certificates that would allow EU residents to travel freely across the 27-nation bloc by the summer as long as they have been vaccinated, tested negative for COVID-19 or recovered from the disease.
With summer looming and tourism-reliant countries anxiously waiting for the return of visitors amid the coronavirus pandemic, the European Commission foresees the creation of certificates aimed at facilitating travel between EU member nations. The plan is set to be discussed during a summit of EU leaders next week.
European Commission proposes digital certificate for COVID vaccination and testing
The certificate will serve as proof that a person has either been vaccinated against COVID-19, has tested negative, or has recovered from COVID-19
17 March 2021, 1:16pm
by Nicole Meilak
The European Commission has proposed to create a Digital Green Certificate, to help facilitate free movement inside the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The certificate will serve as proof that a person has either been vaccinated against COVID-19, has tested negative, or has recovered from COVID-19, so as to prevent discrimination against unvaccinated individuals.
It will be available free of charge and in digital or paper formate, with a QR code to ensure security and aunthenticity.
The document would allow European residents to travel across the bloc with proof of Covid-19 vaccination, a negative test result or evidence of recovery.
What is it and how does it work?
The EU s vaccine passport - officially called Digital Green Certificate - will be free of charge, bilingual, interoperable, secure, non-discriminatory and available in digital and physical format via QR code.
Its goal will be to facilitate safe and free movement inside the EU during the pandemic.
The Digital Green Certificate will comprise three distinct certificates:
Vaccination certificates, stating brand of the vaccine used, data and place of inoculation and number of doses administered.
Negative test certificates (either a NAAT/RT-PCR test or a rapid antigen test). Self-tests will be excluded for the time being.