The European Parliament approved the Covid certificate to reactivate tourism from July 1

The plenary session of the European Parliament gave the green light to the launch of the EU Covid digital certificate with which European tourists will be able to move without restrictions within the community space from July 1, at be able to prove with this document that they have been vaccinated, have overcome the coronavirus or that they have tested negative on a diagnostic test in the hours before the trip.

This is a Free certificate, which will be issued in digital or physical format and with the information at least in the language of the issuing country and in English, which harmonizes the systems of each Member State and offers basic information on the medical situation of its holder in this regard. which concerns the coronavirus, but it avoids the exchange of protected data and guarantees the veracity of the information collected.

In addition, the EU institutions made it clear in the negotiation process that The certificate should in no way be understood as a kind of passport or travel document as it does not interfere with the right to free movement, which assists all Europeans, whether or not they have the new European document.

Its launch across the European Union is announced for July 1, although there are already around ten countries issuing European certificates to their vaccinated citizens and Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders has urged Tuesday the others to start distributing them “now”. ”To avoid a“ big bang ”in July in the event of excessive demand or last minute technical problems.

The Twenty-Seven are committed to not impose “additional restrictions” on travelers who have this certificate, which means they will be exempt from the requirement to comply with quarantines or re-test upon arrival at the travel destination.

However, national governments have reserved the right to activate an “emergency brake” with which to reintroduce restrictions in an emergency, for example if the person is traveling from an area with very high incidence or where new dangerous variants have been detected. .

In that case, The Member State which decides to reintroduce measures must do so in a proportionate and limited manner, following the scientific criteria and epidemiological data of the European Center for Disease Prevention (ECDC) and prior notifying the European Commission, its partners, ‘EU and citizenship.

The European Parliament, which supported this instrument with a large majority of 546 votes in favor, 93 against and 51 abstentions, tried unsuccessfully during negotiations with the Member States to make diagnostic tests linked to the certificate free, in order to avoid any discrimination. between the participants, the citizens who are vaccinated for free and who have to pay a PCR to travel.

Finally, countries will have to make the tests ‘affordable’ and easy to obtain and the European Commission will have to mobilize € 100 million from the Emergency Aid Instrument so that Member States can purchase tests and thus reduce their cost. .

EU countries will be required to accept vaccination certificates issued in other Member States for vaccines authorized by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), although they have freedom to accept also those issued for vaccines licensed under national procedures or on the World Health Organization (WHO) list to be used in an emergency.

After the favorable vote in the plenary session of the European Parliament, meeting in Strasbourg (France) for the first time since the pandemic was declared in Europe, the certificate must still respond to formal adoption by the Council throughout this week , with the aim that its completion will be signed next Monday.

(with EP information)

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