Thanks to LANCELOT DIGITAL – Free, with information on vaccines, PCR or antibodies, this will be the European digital certificate
The digital certificate with which the European Commission intends to promote travel in the European Union (EU) will be free, in digital or paper format and will contain information on whether a person has been vaccinated, if they have antibodies for having overcome the covid or a negative PCR test.
The Community Executive assured today when presenting the document that the fact of being vaccinated will not be a requirement to be able to travel, since citizens who have not yet had the opportunity to do so or have refused will be able to demonstrate with a PCR or with a test of antigens their health condition, so that all travelers will have the same rights.
According to the EC proposal, only vaccines authorized by the European Medicines Agency will be taken into account, although EU countries will be able to decide whether to accept other drugs, such as the Russian Sputnik V or the Chinese Sinopharm.
The certificate will contain the information in two languages, in the official language of the Member State that issues it and in English, in order to guarantee recognition in all EU countries and will be displayed by means of a QR code or on paper, for those who do not have a smartphone.
Brussels thus seeks to encourage travel in EU countries -as well as Norway, Switzerland and Lichtenstein- and asks governments that people who have the digital certificate are exempted from the obligation to keep quarantine when they arrive at the destination or from get a PCR test.
However, Brussels asks countries to justify their decision if they maintain these obligations.
“With the digital certificate we are betting on a European approach to ensure that European citizens and their families can travel safely and with minimal restrictions this summer,” said Justice Commissioner Didier Reynder.
“Our main objective is to offer (a system) easy to use, that is not discriminatory and is a secure tool to fully respect data protection,” added the vice president of the Community Executive, Vera Jourová.
Brussels presented this certificate – which will expire when the World Health Organization (WHO) declares the end of the pandemic – just three weeks after the heads of state and government decided to go ahead with this proposal at their last summit in February. .
The proposal pleases southern countries – highly dependent on tourism – but others such as France or Belgium have expressed their reluctance, arguing that the certificate can discriminate who has been vaccinated and those who have not.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel also said that the document should not be used to facilitate travel until a large part of the population has had a chance to get vaccinated.
Other doubts raised focus on the fact that it is still unknown how long the immunity of the vaccine can last and to what degree people who have inoculated the drug can infect the rest.
The proposal has yet to receive the approval of the Member States and the European Parliament.
