The Council of the European Union has agreed on the establishment of the Digital Green Certificate proposed by the EU Commission, which intends to facilitate safe and free movement within the block amid the Coronavirus crisis.
Commenting on the proposal, the Prime Minister of Portugal António Costa said that in spite of the concerning current epidemiological situation, the Member States need to look ahead for solutions in order to facilitate free movement as soon as possible.
“I welcome this first step. It shows that we are ready to engage constructively with the European Parliament and the Commission to continue to move fast on these proposals in order to have the certificate and the system fully operational this summer,” Costa said.
The EU Commission presented its proposal on the establishment of the Digital Vaccine Certificate on March 17 this year. The certificate will be issued to those who have been vaccinated, recovered from the virus, as well as to those who test. It will be issued to both citizens and residents in the EU, as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
Throughout the Wednesday meeting, the Council insisted that five amendments must be added to the current legislative texts on the Digital Green Certificate.
The first is a reference explaining that the certificate will not become a precondition for travel. The same will note that the certificate is not a travel document either and will not discriminate against anyone, in particular non-vaccinated persons.
Next is an additional article that clarifies the treatment which should be given to certificates issued to Union citizens and residents and their family members.
At the same time, the Council also wants the texts to clarify that, the data protection provisions have been strengthened of the main regulation, particularly on the basis of the joint evaluation of the European data protection board and the European data protection supervisor.
“The text now includes a transitional provision to ensure that the Member States can continue using the systems currently have in place during a short period of six weeks after the entry into force of the main regulation and until the Digital Green Certificate framework is fully operational on their territory,” the Council explains.
It also notes that the text of the draft regulation should include a provision that enables Ireland and the rest of the Member States to mutually accept certificates issued to third-country nationals based on reciprocity.
Last Tuesday, April 13, MEPs of the Civil Liberties Committee have quizzed the European Union Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders on the Digital Green Certificate initiative. They have also insisted that the Commission must not permit the certificates to become a ‘de facto’ precondition for travelling throughout Europe.
Back in April 2020, SchengenVisaInfo.com had warned on the possibility that the EU could use such a tool in order to restore travel within the block amid the pandemic after an EU official had confirmed the information. The same had also warned that third country citizens might be obliged to vaccinate in order to apply for a visa to the EU countries and the Schengen Area.
Now, the EU Parliament is set to adopt its position at its plenary at the end of the month. Soon after, the interinstitutional negotiations will start so that the framework can be ready by the end of June.