BRUSSELS (AP) – The executive body of the European Union proposed on Wednesday to issue certificates that will allow EU residents to travel freely through the 27-country bloc by summer, as long as they have been vaccinated, tested negative for COVID-19 or recovered of the disease.
With summer approaching and countries dependent on tourism anxiously awaiting the return of visitors amid the coronavirus pandemic, the European Commission foresees the creation of certificates to facilitate travel between EU Member States. The plan will be discussed next week at a summit of EU leaders,
“We all want the tourist season to start. We cannot afford to lose another season, ”European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova told Czech public radio. “Tourism, but also culture and other sectors that depend on tourism, suffer enormously. We are talking about tens of millions of jobs. “
The topic of vaccine certificates has been under discussion in the EU for weeks, where it turned out to be divisive. The travel industry and southern European countries with a tourism-dependent economy such as Greece and Spain have pushed for the rapid introduction of a program that would help eliminate quarantines and testing requirements for tourists.
But several other EU members, including France, argued that it would be premature and discriminatory to introduce such passes, as a large majority of EU citizens have so far not had access to vaccines.
To ensure the participation of all Member States, the commission proposed to provide free ‘digital green certificates’ to EU residents who can demonstrate that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19, as well as those who have tested negative for the virus or can prove they have recovered. from the.
“Being vaccinated is not a prerequisite for travel,” said the European Commission. “All EU citizens have a fundamental right to free movement in the EU, and this is true regardless of whether they have been vaccinated or not. The Digital Green Certificate makes it easier to exercise that right, also by means of testing and recovery certificates. “
According to data collected by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, less than 5% of European citizens are fully vaccinated due to delays in the delivery and production of vaccines. The European Commission says it is confident that it can achieve its goal of vaccinating 70% of the EU’s adult population by the end of the summer.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the travel certificates “will help boost tourism and the economies that rely heavily on them”. The European aviation industry urged EU governments to ensure that the passes are operational in time for the peak of the summer travel season.
The committee proposed that all rubber-stamped vaccines be automatically recognized by the European Medicines Agency, but also allowed governments to include other vaccines, such as Russia’s Sputnik or Chinese Sinovac, which have not received EU market authorization.
The European Commission guaranteed that “a very high level of data protection is guaranteed” and said the certificates will be issued in digital format for display on smartphones or on paper.
EU officials also hope that vaccine certificates will convince member states that have introduced travel restrictions to slow the rate of new infections to lift their measures. The EU’s executive arm has previously warned six countries that their travel restrictions, which in Belgium go as far as a ban on non-essential travel, could undermine the fundamental EU principle of free travel and harm the internal market .
The commission said the certificates should be suspended once the World Health Organization announces the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
If approved by EU leaders, the proposal will need to be approved by EU legislators to enter into force.
Karel Janicek in Prague contributed to this story.
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