EU green certificate for injected with each vaccine (Overview)

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EC chief Ursula von der Layen presents the proposal. PHOTO: Reuters

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It will also be issued to patients and people with a negative PCR test

Free of charge, electronically or on paper, with data on those vaccinated, sick and tested by PCR or rapid antigen test – this will include the digital green travel certificate of Europeans. The European Commission presented its proposal on Wednesday, calling on the EU Council and the European Parliament to swiftly approve the bill for it to take effect by the summer.

Member States must issue vaccination certificates

no matter what

the type of vaccine

against COVID-19. When it comes to lifting restrictions on movement, countries are only required to accept certificates for vaccines that have been authorized to trade in the EU. For other immunization certificates with a Russian or Chinese vaccine, for example, it is up to the states to decide whether the lighter measures should apply, according to clarifications from the EC published on its website.

If people who have been vaccinated before the introduction of the certificate have received a document that does not meet the standards, they can request a new one.

In order to avoid discrimination against people who have not been vaccinated, the EC proposal stipulates that people who have been tested for COVID-19 or have had a disease can also obtain a certificate.

Home testing will not be included in the document because it is not conducted under controlled conditions.

The digital green certificate will be free of charge for EU citizens and will be available in electronic or paper format. Both versions will have a QR code to ensure security, as well as a digital signature guaranteeing the authenticity of the document. Each issuing authority (hospital, test center, health authority) will have its own digital signature key. The document will be issued in the language of the country as well as in English.

The EC will set up a portal to ensure that all certificates can be verified anywhere in the EU, and will help members develop software for use by verifiers who scan the QR code.

What information will the digital green certificate include?

– for a vaccination certificate: vaccination product and manufacturer, number of doses and date of vaccination;

– for a test certificate: type of test, date and time of testing, center for conducting tests and result;

– for certification for overcoming illness: date of the positive result of the test, body issuing the certificate, date of issue, date of validity.

In addition to this data, the certificates will contain a limited set of information such as name and date of birth, but this personal data

will not be saved by

the verifier

member country

EC chief Ursula von der Leyen described the proposed document as “a common path to gradual, safe and lasting reopening”. The aim of the commission is to make the certificates easier to travel in the EU in the coming months. However, the certificate should not be a precondition for travel. “All EU citizens, whether vaccinated or not, have a fundamental right to free movement in the EU,” the EC said.

It is envisaged that states will determine for themselves what restrictions should be lifted for certificate holders – for example, not to be subject to examination or quarantine. If a Member State continues to require digital green certificate holders to remain quarantined or tested, it must notify the EC and all other Member States and justify the reasons for such measures.

The use of the new documents will be terminated by a decision of the World Health Organization when it announces the end of the epidemic. Certificates will also be able to be issued and verified by Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

To be ready before summer, the proposal must be adopted swiftly by the European Parliament and the Council.

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