EU leaders failed late Tuesday to finalize the vaccine passport scheme that holiday hubs see as a vital lifeline for the coming peak tourist season.
That's according to DPA.
The digital certificate could open up more EU countries to travel within the bloc as soon as late June, even as the coronavirus pandemic continues and concern about virus variants remains high.
The document is to indicate whether a person has tested negative for СCVID-19, has recently recovered from the virus that causes the disease, or has been vaccinated.
This could provide the basis for waiving the quarantine requirements currently in place for many trips within the bloc. However, it remains up to each of the 27 member states to decide what kind of perks the certificate brings within its borders.
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On March 17, the European Commission invited EU member states to create a single model of digital green certificates to facilitate safe free movement within the EU amid pandemic. The certificates will include the holder's first and last names, date of birth, date of issue, vaccination details, negative test or confirmation of recovery from COVID-19, as well as a unique document identifier.
MEPs intend by summer to have considered and approved proposals of the European Commission on the creation of digital green certificates, which will allow travel within the EU countries during a pandemic.
In March, WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge spoke out against the introduction of vaccine certificates in the EU.
Experts believe the introduction of vaccine certificates may become a new system of discrimination against people.
