Debate in the EU: many obstacles on the way to the vaccination certificate

The “Green Passport” already exists in Israel: the EU continues to fight for a digital vaccination certificate. Commission President von der Leyen presented the details today. But before the pass comes, there is a lot of discussion to do.

It is a vaccination certificate, tamper-proof and recognized in all EU countries. Many EU parliamentarians prefer to talk about a health certificate, like the FDP politician Nicola Beer, Vice President of the EU Parliament: “The vaccination certificate should not lead to a division between vaccinated and unvaccinated people Vaccination, a previous disease , PCR negative. Rapid tests and tests are also taken into account. ”

Matthias reiche
ARD studio Brussels

Privacy concerns

The certificate would actually be a kind of crown fingerprint. But with data protection risks, says Patrick Breyer. He is an EU MEP for the Pirate Party and is convinced that such sensitive medical data does not belong to a central vaccination registry, but only to the hands of those affected. “It is important that the information is no longer stored by the private companies that are supposed to control it and used for other purposes,” says Breyer.

To what extent the vaccination certificate can bring more freedom of travel also depends on how the EU member states coordinate their travel rules with each other. “I am skeptical that member states can agree on uniform rules,” says Tiemo Wölken, health policy spokesman for the European SPD. “Member states have shown that they are not willing there. We saw it in the warning light from Corana.”

Required Freedoms for Vaccinated Persons

There was agreement on the red color of the alarm, but not on the resulting entry tests or quarantine rules. Peter Liese suspects that the EU will have little say in handling the certificate. The CDU politician and health policy spokesman for the EPP, the largest group in the EU Parliament, would support the fact that those who have been vaccinated, at least in a certain group, also have the right to regain their freedoms.

“At the nursing home, we should quickly restore freedom when everyone had a chance to get vaccinated,” says Liese. “And personally I also believe that nursing staff should be able to regain certain freedoms, even if not everyone has this opportunity yet.”

Many questions still unanswered

The EU certificate should be operational by summer. An ambitious plan, believes Jutta Paulus. Above all, the green politician has doubts as to whether the 27 member states will create the necessary logistical and technical prerequisites so quickly. “If you look at the management of vaccination campaigns, I have reasonable doubts that member states can create these conditions in three months,” he says.

There are still many unanswered questions regarding the EU vaccination card. It is also not clear yet unequivocally whether the vaccine protection also protects others from infection and how long it lasts.