ROME – The European Commission will introduce legislation paving the way for ‘digital’ pass’ COVID-19 passports in March with the aim of opening up travel for those vaccinated.
Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen announced on Monday that the move, which is being criticized for potentially discriminating against those for whom the vaccine is not readily available. “We will submit a legal proposal in March,” she told German lawmakers on Monday. “The aim is to gradually enable them to move safely in the European Union or abroad – for work or tourism,” she said in a follow-up tweet.
It is not surprising that the move was not accepted equally by all EU member states. Tourist-dependent Greece has already created its own COVID-19 passport with a view to the picturesque islands of the country this summer. The Italian island of Sardinia, which is currently Italy’s only restriction-free “white zone”, thanks to efforts to determine who enters the island, also said only vaccines could be launched.
The Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, Spain and Portugal all give a national certificate of full vaccination linked to their national health plans, although this is not recognized at a transnational level.
Spain and Italy also praised the EU-wide action, while France and Belgium – where the explosion of vaccines faced obstacles – both criticized the plan, saying it would only pave the way for discrimination.
Several countries have also argued that it must be proven that vaccinated people cannot pass the virus, which was still established by the larger medical community or the World Health Organization.
In January, the EU agreed on the criteria for a European vaccination certificate, but the new legislation would create the basis to eventually go further than allowing Europeans and even foreign nationals who can be vaccinated to enter the EU without to have to go into quarantine.
Von der Leyen also said she believes 70 percent of all 27-year-olds should be vaccinated by the end of the summer, calling it a ‘goal we trust’.