All What You Need to Know about Covid ‘Digital Passport’ in Europe

An EU-wide Covid certificate for easier travel came into force on July 1st, just in time for Europe's busy summer vacation period. The so-called "Green Corona passport" in Europe, is a document that will allow citizens and residents of the European Union and the European Economic Area to travel without having to comply with certain restrictions such as quarantine.

Although there has been an increase in infections with the delta variant of the virus, most European countries have already made good progress in their vaccination campaign, with about 50% of the population receiving at least one dose. In addition, one in three persons in the EU is vaccinated.

Although it will allow no restrictions on freedom of movement, travelers visiting other countries may find restrictions still in place in some of them, such as the use of masks indoors or social distancing restrictions.

Covid Digital Pass

In spite of a widely spread opinion that the certificates will look like a regular travel passport, in fact, it is a one-page document, issued in digital format and printable.

The EU document shows whether the bearer is vaccinated with one of the EU's approved jabs (from BioNTech/Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson), or whether they have recovered from an infection or recently tested negative.

This standardized certificate is free. It takes the form of a document with a QR code to be presented in digital form or on a sheet of paper during checks in member countries of the European Union, regardless of the means of transport used: train, plane or car. This document makes it possible to prove "that a person has been vaccinated, has recently recovered from Covid-19 or has received negative results in his test". The date of vaccination and the type of dose received are specified.

Every certificate contains a unique machine-readable QR code through which it is possible to securely verify the authenticity, integrity and validity of the certificate, as well as a digital signature. The certificates are issued in two languages, in English and the official language(s) of the issuing country.

Restrictions-Free

The European COVID-19 travel certificate has been created by the European Union in a bid to restore the freedom of travel, which has been put at a halt for over a year now, since the pandemic erupted all over the block. Through the certificate, the Commission intends to remove travel restrictions as entry bans, quarantine obligation, and testing.

The EU Commission has encouraged the Member States to remove the entry restrictions imposed on the freedom of movement since mid-March 2020, for those that hold such a document, starting from July 1, though the members have the option to remove those restrictions earlier, as many already have.

“When travelling, every Digital Green Certificate holder will have the same rights as citizens of the visited Member State who have been vaccinated, tested or recovered,” the EU Commission had explained presenting the certificate.

The Member States are not legally obliged to implement the certificate. However, all of them are already in the process of introducing it. They will still be able to impose restrictions on arrivals from the other EU countries. Yet, they must inform the Commission and all rest of the Member States and provide reasons why such measures are being taken.

Under EU law, the certificate is meant to do away with the need for quarantines or further testing when travelling between the EU's 27 countries or four associated European nations (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein).

It offers the possibility of traveling abroad and in public places freely, provided that the host country recognizes the validity of the document. 

 

Countries Adopting the Pass

To date, more than 200 million certificates have been issued from all EU countries, according to EU spokesperson for the digital economy, research and innovation, Johannes Bahrek.

SchengenVisaInfo.com announced on June 1 that seven EU countries had already started to issue EU COVID-19 passports – Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Croatia and Poland. On June 4, Iceland also started to implement the pilot system for the issuance of COVID certificates.

The proposal has gone through all of the EU procedures for the approval of regulation, and now, since July 1, all of the Member States, except for Ireland, have started issuing it.

Ireland had previously warned that it will most likely implement the scheme by mid-July and not before. According to the European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders, Ireland’s delay is a result of the recent cyber-attack on the Irish Health Service Executive.

“Due to a cyber-attack in Ireland, it was difficult to reach the goal to have all of the technical solutions in place before July 1, but for all the other Member States, we don’t have any concerns about the way to proceed,”. The Commissioner said during a briefing in Brussels, pointing out that so far, Ireland is the only one of the 27 EU Member States that has not started to issue and verify such documents.

 

Controversy

This pass is similar to the international vaccination record, necessary to enter certain countries which require vaccination against yellow fever, for example. Strongly criticized for the inequalities it risks generating, some also see the implementation of the Covid-19 passport as a roundabout way of making the vaccine compulsory. Thus, the vaccination passport is the subject of numerous legal debates between countries. 

"It is a free and temporary instrument, which is not intended to last over time once the health crisis is over," specified the European Commission.

Some states are concerned about the protection of user data. A fear that Thierry Breton, European Commissioner is trying to allay: "The protection and confidentiality of health data within the meaning of the GDPR will of course be guaranteed." Didier Reynders, European Commissioner for Justice also specified that the desire to introduce this certificate for other activities such as access to restaurants, theaters, cinemas or performance halls, will rest with the member countries.

Europe will work "in close collaboration with the States" to "identify the technical solutions which will allow this solution to be put in place quickly", "to ensure that the authenticity of these certificates can be quickly proven throughout the Union. European ", and" allow mutual recognition of the certificate throughout the EU ".

 

 Limited Effects 

The World Health Organization warned Thursday that Covid case numbers in Europe were on the rise once again, up 10 percent after two months of decline, because of a loosening of social restrictions and increased travel.

The darkening context could limit the effects of the EU certificate.

The economic research consultancy Capital Economics forecast the EU certificate "will have very little impact on European tourism this year", observing that "most adults are not fully vaccinated and the Delta variant is making people and governments more cautious".

Airlines grouped together in an umbrella lobby group, A4E, have expressed worries that an "inconsistent approach" among EU countries in vetting the EU Covid certificate could create lengthy lines in airports with the potential to "create new health hazards".

They called for the certificates to be checked online before travellers even arrived at the airport.

There were scenes of problems at Brussels' airport early Thursday as the first day of school summer vacation in Belgium, an airport strike in neighbouring France, and added Covid checks collided.

"Everything is blocked," one employee said at a Brussels Airlines check-in desk, as a massive line of passengers was directed towards a waiting tent where social distancing was not observed.

"We will miss our flight," one couple with two children complained.

An employee responded: "That is Covid, that is the procedure. If you miss your flight, we will get you another one."