The European Parliament and EU lawmakers have reached a deal on the EU Digital Covid Certificate, which is on track to open up travel for EU citizens by the summer.
Previously called the Digital Green Certificate, the EU-wide Covid pass will enable free movement for work and tourism across the bloc and will include information about vaccination, tests and recovery from the disease.
The European Commission will also earmark €100 million to support the 27 member states in providing affordable tests.
A statement from the EC said the certificate is “well on track to be ready end of June, as planned”, adding: “[Thursday’s] agreement has been reached in record time just two months after the Commission’s proposal.”
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EC president Ursula von der Leyen said: “We are delivering on our commitment to have the EU Digital Covid Certificate up and running before the summer. European citizens are looking forward to travelling again, and today’s agreement means they will be able to do so safely very soon.
“The EU Digital Covid Certificate is free of charge, secure and accessible to all. It will cover vaccination, test and recovery offering different options to the citizens. It fully respects citizens’ fundamental rights, including protection of personal data.
“The EU Digital Covid Certificate, available in paper or digital format, will make it easier for Europeans to travel.”
She added: “At EU level, the system will be ready in the next few days. It is now crucial that all member states press ahead with the roll-out of their national systems to ensure that the system can be up and running as soon as possible.”
The EU Digital Covid Certificate will be available in a digital and paper-based format, depending on the choice of the recipients, and contain a digitally signed QR code.
Sky News said the European Parliament is expected to pass a law in the week beginning June 7 for more than a dozen EU countries, including France and Spain, to test the system before a launch on July 1.
The scheme also covers non-EU members of the border-free Schengen zone – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland – and is separate from plans to open up the European Union to vaccinated non-EU visitors.
Spanish president Pedro Sánchez said Spain would begin to accept the EU Digital Covid Certificate from July 1.
He clarified that it will not be treated as a passport, or a travel document, but ” a mechanism that will facilitate mobility”.
Seaking at the International Tourism Fair (FITUR), Sánchez added: “With the Digital Covid Certificate, Spain will resume all its economic activity safely and we will achieve mobility within the European Union this summer.”
Virginia Messina, WTTC senior vice-president, said: “This new certificate could be the key to unlocking international travel and save thousands of businesses and millions of jobs across Europe and beyond.
“We call on all Member States to have the certificate up and running by July 1 with no extra restrictions.”
She added: “The European Commission must be applauded for its incredible efforts in launching this major initiative, which could be the driving force behind the resurrection of travel and tourism.
“For more than a year, the sector has suffered like never before, with 62 million people around the world losing their jobs. But this initiative will aid the restoration of safe international travel.”
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