European Union assesses implementation of green card to facilitate tourism for people vaccinated against COVID-19

Amid new restrictions and closures given the increase in cases in Europe, the new measure provides for a vaccination passport to facilitate internal mobility between the different countries of the bloc. The aim is to launch it before the European summer to help boost tourism.

The new passport will not only provide the traditional information (name, date of birth and country of origin of the passenger), but will also feature a QR barcode with information depending on the type of certificate. There will be three categories: Vaccination certificate (type of vaccine and manufacturer, number of doses and date of inoculation), Test certificate (type, date and time of the test, center where it was carried out and result) and Certificate of recovery (date of positive test result, certificate issuer, issue date and validity date).

New the application will be free, the document must be tamper-proof and the certificate can be presented at airports in digital or paper format.

It can be used in all member states of the European Union including Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland and this will be proof that a person has been vaccinated, tested negative or that the disease has already passed.

Among the subjects to be debated, the European authorities are evaluating allowing people with this vaccination certificate to be exempted from presenting negative tests or carrying out quarantines dictated by the countries, thus accelerating checks at the various airports.

Beyond the bloc’s directives, each country can set its own criteria for the entry of foreigners.

Currently, vaccines accepted by the European Medicines Agency, Pfizer, Modern, AstraZeneca O Janssen, will be accepted for the passport. However, the possibility opens that different countries accept other vaccines like Russian, Sputnik V and porcelain, Sinovac.

According to the President of the European Commission, Úrsula von der Leyen, being vaccinated will not be a prerequisite for travel because this vaccination passport “will not be discriminatory” and specified that “its objective is to guarantee that citizens continue to enjoy their right to free movement, whether they are vaccinated or not, but simultaneously without endangering public health” . To avoid discrimination, citizens who do not meet any of the conditions can continue to move freely, although they are subject to limitations established by each country, such as quarantine measures or additional testing.

European officials will meet virtually tomorrow to discuss the conditions that the passport must meet. Representatives from Germany, Denmark, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, Cyprus, Malta and Bulgaria participate in the event.

Spain plans to be the first to implement it. The government’s intention is to prepare it before May 19, coinciding with the Madrid International Tourism Fair. Israel and New York have already implemented similar applications.

Cases in the northern hemisphere are on the rise. In recent days, European countries have reinstated restrictions due to the increase in COVID-19 cases. France entered a new month-long blockade on March 20, Spain extended the curfew until May from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. and Germany extended the coronavirus measures in force until April 18, but canceled the Easter super closure which also included the closure of supermarkets.

KEEP READING: