The European Parliament voted on Wednesday to enshrine into law an EU-wide travel document known as the Digital COVID Certificate package to facilitate travel within the EU and contribute to the economic recovery, IPN reports, quoiting RFE/RL’s Moldovan Service.
Plenary passed the new EU digital COVID Certificate Regulations with 546 votes to 93 and 51 abstentions (EU citizens) and with 553 to 91 and 46 abstentions (third country nationals).
The system will apply from July 1, 2021 and be in place for 12 months. The certificate will not be a precondition for free movement and will not be considered a travel document.
Several EU countries have already started issuing the free certificates. EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said on Tuesday that a million certificates had already been issued to EU citizens.
The certificate will be issued free of charge by national authorities and be available in either digital or paper format containing a QR code. It will allow people who have been vaccinated, tested negative or who have recently recovered from a coronavirus infection to travel across the bloc.
The certificate will be valid in all EU member states, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the Digital COVID Certificate is free of charge, secure and accessible to all. It will cover vaccination, test and recovering offering different options to the citizens.
The EU Member States are not legally obliged to implement the certificate. However, all of them are already in the process of introducing it.
