EU citizens should be able to travel largely free again this summer with a pass stating their ‘corona status’. If they have been vaccinated, recently tested or have antibodies because they have had the corona virus, it should only give them access to all EU countries. The European Commission will present a plan for this tomorrow, which is already partly in the hands of the NOS.
The “green certificate”, as the European Commission calls the travel pass, will initially give more freedom of movement to people who have been vaccinated. But certainly this summer there will still be groups of people who have not yet been called upon to be vaccinated.
They too should be able to walk again on, for example, a Spanish or Portuguese beach with a green tick on their travel pass, the Commission believes. That is why people can also get the travel pass who have been tested negative or have had corona in the past six months and therefore have antibodies.
At a summit last month, EU leaders asked the European Commission to prepare such a travel pass. Southern countries in particular hope to be able to admit tourists in this way this summer. At the same time, the EU countries want to continue to decide for themselves under what conditions people enter their country.
Not the only way
The European Commission had to compromise between those two wishes, which means that the travel pass will sooner become a useful tool than a passport that offers unrestricted freedom of movement. In addition to the travel pass, countries can set all kinds of other requirements for travelers, for example a mandatory quarantine for everyone from a certain area. These additional requirements must be made known to the European Commission and to the other member states.
Nor will the pass become the only way you can prove that you are corona free. A test or vaccination certificate from, for example, a doctor should also be accepted.
Each country will have to design its own digital certificate, for example in the form of an app. A barcode on those national apps must be readable in all EU countries, so that, for example, at a Spanish airport it can also be seen whether a Dutch traveler has already had a vaccine. The Commission explicitly states that no European database will be established with health data on every citizen.
Travel easier
The Dutch government is also working on a vaccination passport for domestic use. This would allow people to go to festivals, concerts or to the cinema, for example. Dutch government parties in the European Parliament are therefore positive about the European initiative.
“Traveling across borders is the best core business of Europe, “says Esther de Lange of the CDA.” This pass does not entitle you to travel, but it does make traveling a lot easier. “D66 is also in favor of a European travel pass, says MEP Sophie In ‘t Veld:” National solutions would only result in new restrictions. ”The VVD is also in favor under certain conditions.
Government party ChristenUnie previously stated that a vaccination passport should not lead to people feeling compelled to get vaccinated. That party was not available yesterday for comment on the European plans.