The EU executive aims to present its plans for a “digital green pass” on March 17 and to cooperate with international organisations to ensure that its system also works beyond the European Union, said Reuters.
The pass would provide proof that a person has been vaccinated, the results of tests for those not yet vaccinated and information on recovery for people who have contracted COVID-19.
“The aim is to gradually enable them to move safely in the European Union or abroad - for work or tourism,” Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said in a tweet on Monday.
We'll present this month a legislative proposal for a Digital Green Pass. The aim is to provide:
•Proof that a person has been vaccinated
•Results of tests for those who couldn’t get a vaccine yet
•Info on COVID19 recovery
It will respect data protection, security & privacy— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) March 1, 2021
The Commission wants to establish an EU-wide system to prevent separate deals being hatched between EU countries that would fragment its internal market and to avoid finding itself subject to a system set by a third country or by a tech giant.
EU leaders agreed last week to work on vaccine certificates, with southern member states such as Spain and Greece particularly keen to unlock tourism this summer.
however, it is not yet clear whether vaccinated people can still transmit the virus to others. Some countries, such as France and Belgium, have also expressed concern that easing travel only for inoculated people would be unfair.
The Commission said it wanted to avoid any discrimination. EU countries would be free to set their own criteria for entry, although broadly open borders make this a difficult task.
