The EU has come to an agreement regarding the implementation of its COVID-19 certificate. The union hopes the system will be ready to launch on July 1, just in time for the summer holidays.
After much debate, the member states, European Parliament and European Commission have managed to reach an agreement. The delegates didn’t see eye to eye on a number of issues, but have decided that travellers within the EU will be able to prove they are vaccinated, have recently recovered from coronavirus, or recently tested negative for the virus via a QR code on their phone.
Member states couldn’t agree on whether or not travellers would be eligible for a free coronavirus test. As a compromise, all agreed to set up a fund of 100 million euros to make PCR tests more accessible and affordable for low-income families.
Countries will still be able to require travellers to quarantine upon arrival, but will have to demonstrate to the European Commission that this measure is necessary to combat the spread of the virus.
Anyone who is only partially vaccinated will also be eligible to apply for the certificate. However, the EU has decided that individual countries will be able to decide for themselves whether only one jab provides sufficient protection.
Each individual country will also be free to decide whether travellers vaccinated with a jab not (yet) approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) - i.e. the Russian vaccine Sputnik - will be able to cross their border without a test.
Holidaymakers are therefore advised to keep an eye on the restrictions outlined by each member state.