Updated on 29 March.
The European Commission wants to give EU citizens back their freedom to move freely within the EU's borders. A gamble that has so far been largely lost due to the various containment and quarantine measures taken by EU members. The Commission wants to put an end to this. In a technical presentation of the future "Digital Green Certificate", the Commission wishes to encourage a gradual and coordinated transition to the liberalisation of movements so that people can travel in complete freedom" .
Three elements were behind the creation of this certificate. European harmonisation of health data to enable travel, non-discrimination of citizens on the basis of their health status and the digital security of citizens..
Didier Reynders, Commissioner for Justicestresses that With the digital green certificate, the Commission is adopting a European approach to ensure that EU citizens and their family members can travel this summer in complete safety and with as few restrictions as possible. The green digital certificate will not be a precondition for free movement and will not discriminate in any way.. A common approach at EU level will not only help us to gradually re-establish free movement within the EU, but also to set an example based on our European values such as data protection".
In fact, the data contained on the future green certificate will not include no information other than health status in relation to covid - in addition, of course, to the identity of the citizen, so that he or she can be identified with his or her passport. Visit certificates will include name, date of birth, date of issue and relevant information about the vaccine/test/institution and a unique certificate identifier. The latter information will enable each Member State to verify the authenticity of the certificates.
Priority to non-discrimination of citizens
Three certificates can be stored on a QR code. These include vaccination certificates, certificates relating to screening tests (NAAT/RT-PCR test or rapid antigen test) and certificates for people who have recovered from covid. Contrary to the fears expressed about vaccination passports that would discriminate against unvaccinated citizens, the Commission is proposing to include all covid-negative people at a given time.
The certificate for a negative test will be valid according to the rules of the country of travel, generally for less than 72 hours. The certificate for people who develop antibodies after catching the virus will be valid for 180 days. The Commission has in fact followed the scientists' recommendations. For people who have been vaccinated, the certificate will be valid depending on the evolution of the virus or its variants.
For European citizens, only vaccines approved by the EU will be taken into account. However, Member States could introduce equivalence on an individual basis. For example, Hungary has acquired Chinese and Russian vaccines that have not been approved by the EMA, the European Medicines Agency.
The Digital Green Certificate will be free of charge so that any citizen travelling within the EU can produce it. There will be certain equivalences with countries outside the EU. The Commission has already indicated that Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland will be able to obtain it.. Eventually, third-country nationals authorised to enter the EU will also be issued with this certificate. Embassies, consulates or border agencies will be able to issue it. A paper version will also be available.
Introduction of the Digital Green Certificate before the summer
According to the Commission, the certificate will make it possible to abolish discrimination between some citizens and others. At present, some Member States, for example, impose a quarantine or territorial ban on nationals of other countries. This is the case in Denmark, Germany and Belgium, for example. From now on, with the certificate, a State will have to apply restrictions without differentiating on the basis of nationality..
At the technical briefing, the committee members gave the following information a calendar probable date of entry into force of the certificate. The commission's technicians will finalise the technical specifications and software for the application by May. The system will go live, and certificates will be recognised and issued in June. Determining which laboratories, doctors or hospitals will be able to issue an authenticated certificate will be a matter for each Member State. This is a logistical issue that could delay the introduction of the system in some countries. However, the Commission believes that it will be possible for Europeans to travel this summer.. And Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner responsible for vaccines, explained on Sunday on RTL: ". As soon as we can be sure that every European who wants to be vaccinated will have fair access to the vaccine, as will be the case in the next two to three months, it will be good to have a health certificate showing your state of health." .
