It is an idea that is gaining ground, without achieving unanimity: the vaccination passport. It would be a document, or a digital certificate, that would be available to people vaccinated or immunized after contracting the coronavirus. This would allow them to move, travel or even go to certain places like restaurants, museums, etc.
Discussed for some time now, the subject is creating sharp differences in Europe. It was even on the agenda of a European summit this Thursday. But the Twenty-Seven cannot come to an agreement.
France is rather against
On the side of the fervent defenders, we find in particular Greece, worried about its tourist industry, but also Italy and Austria. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz indeed advocates a green passport to allow people to travel and access restaurants. He has already warned that in the absence of a European consensus, a project will be drawn up at national level.
On the side of the reluctant, the Franco-German couple comes first. France considers this debate “premature”, at a time when only a small part of the population has access to vaccines. Especially since questions continue about the duration of immune protection conferred by vaccines. France, however, has not completely closed the door to this option. As evidenced by the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE), which launched an online consultation on the subject since mid-February.
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An unequal passport?
The World Health Organization (WHO) is also mixed on the issue. She points out that in terms of the effectiveness of vaccines, to reduce the transmission of the virus, there are still too many unknowns.
But one of the main criticisms is that of the unequal character that green passports could create. As one teacher at the University of Exeter, in the United Kingdom in a study, if “some people do not have access to Covid-19 tests or vaccines or if they do not have the means to do so, they will not be able to prove their state of health and their freedoms will be de facto restricted “. Not to mention the risks in terms of data security engendered by a vaccination passport.
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Derived formats
Other countries, however, did not wait for the joint decision to take the lead with derivative formats. Iceland has been a pioneer by issuing vaccination certificates in January.
Bulgaria, Austria and Greece have already signed tourism agreements. Sweden and Denmark will implement electronic certificates for travelers. Finally in Estonia and Poland, passengers are already exempt from quarantine on arrival, if they can show a vaccination certificate. And the list of countries continues to grow.
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