Message from Brussels: Travel to EU countries with any vaccine
Digital green certificates, which should become operational in the EU by the beginning of the summer, will be issued for all vaccines against Covid 19.
Source: B92
Third-country nationals will also be able to have them, it was announced today from Brussels.
Mr. Didier Reynders, European Commissioner for Justice, in a debate before the European Parliament's Committee on Freedoms and Justice stated that the main goal of digital green certificates is to facilitate free movement in the EU and help citizens regain their right to free travel in a health-friendly way.
"The European Commission has proposed that digital green certificates be extended to third-country nationals residing or legally traveling in the EU. Over time, European green certificates should become interoperable with international standards. Mid-term, a system harmonization should take place, so that certificates issued by third countries are automatically accepted in the EU," Reynders said.
He stated that all EU citizens will receive the same treatment once travel restrictions were lifted and that certificates would be issued for all vaccines, regardless of whether they were approved by the EMA.
"Member states will be required to accept vaccines that are approved at the EU level, and will be free to accept all other vaccines," Reynders said.
Once again it was emphasized that digital certificates do not represent "vaccination passports", but they imply three types of certificates that will be issued in digital or paper form and will refer to proof of vaccination against Covid 19, negative test or proof of antibody existence.
It was stated that the certificates will be issued free of charge, that the plan should become effective begin summer, and once WHO marks the end of the pandemic, they will be suspended.
"Once we put the pandemic behind us, there will be no need for certificates, but the instrument, which we are now introducing, will be retained in case it has to be reactivated due to a new pandemic," Reynders said.
The agreement between the countries on Covid passports was made, Croatia included
He said that digital certificates can be used for free movement only, and that any other use at the national level must be legally established, proportional and non-discriminatory.
The proposal of the European Commission for the introduction of digital green certificates need support from the European Parliament and parliaments of the EU member states.
