EU to propose vaccine passports for summer travel



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The European Commission will present a proposal this month on creating a digital Covid-19 vaccination passport across the EU that allows Europeans to travel more freely during the peak summer vacation period.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the next legislative proposal in a speech to conservative German politicians today, providing some more details in subsequent tweets.

The “digital green pass” would provide proof that a person has been vaccinated, test results for people who have not yet been vaccinated, and information on the recovery of people who have contracted Covid-19.

“The aim is to gradually allow them to move safely in the European Union or abroad, for work or tourism,” he said.

EU leaders agreed last week to work on vaccine certificates, for which southern countries like Spain and Greece are pushing to unblock tourism this summer.

However, several countries say that it will first be necessary to establish that vaccinated people cannot transmit the virus to other people.

Some countries, such as France and Belgium, also expressed concern that facilitating travel only for vaccinated people would be unfair.

The commission said it will seek to avoid discrimination against citizens who have not received a vaccine.

EU countries agreed in January on basic data requirements for a vaccination certificate.


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A spokesman for the commission said the EU executive will seek to coordinate safety standards and help connect national health systems.

The term “green pass” used by Ms Von der Leyen is the same as the one used by Israel, the world champion in vaccination, for her digital or paper document that proves that the carrier has been inoculated and therefore can enter sports, entertainment and gastronomic venues.



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