DIGITAL GREEN CARD SET TO REOPEN BORDERS IN EUROPE

The European Union has unveiled its “Digital Green Certificate” to facilitate free movements for citizens, residents and travellers within the European Union. Launching of the scheme should occur by June.

On 17 March, the European Commission unveiled its latest move to allow, as quickly as possible, free movements for people living within the European Union.

The Digital Green Certificate will contain a QR code with information that one has been vaccinated against Covid-19, received a negative PCR test result prior to departure, or recovered from COVID-19. In this way, it will avoid discrimination of vaccinated from non-vaccinated travellers.

The digital certificate will be free of charge, in digital or paper format, with the QR code ensuring security and authenticity of the certificate.

The Commission will build a gateway to ensure all certificates can be verified across the EU, and support Member States in the technical implementation. Member States remain responsible for deciding which public health restrictions can be waived for travellers but it must be applied to anyone holding a Digital Green Certificate.

The certificate is seen as a temporary solution until the pandemic is under control. This could happen by the middle of the summer as the European Commission believes that European “herd immunity” should be achieved by then.

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