Sitemap

EU Commission Proposes A Digital Green Certificate

CorD Recommends

European Parliament Members Endorse Western Balkan Reform and Growth Instrument

Members of the European Parliament's committees on...

US Leads Global Oil Production for the Sixth Consecutive Year

The United States has maintained its position...

Balkan Borders Blur as Free Labor Movement Pact Launches

Marking a significant shift in the labor...

Serbia Commits €5.4 Billion to Renewable Energy by 2030

Serbia's state-owned power company, Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS),...

Serbia Advances in Renewable Energy with Pupin Wind Park Financing

In a significant stride towards renewable energy adoption, Serbia has finalized the financial arrangements for the Pupin Wind Park,...

Đedović Handanović: Nuclear Energy in Serbia by 2039 at the Earliest

Nuclear energy in Serbia could become a reality by 2039 at the earliest, should work on the project commence...

Sagrada Familia Completion Set for 2026

The Sagrada Familia, Barcelona's most iconic church, is slated for completion in 2026, over 140 years since its foundations...

Belgrade’s Hotel Jugoslavija Sold, Sparks Redevelopment Controversy

Belgrade's iconic Hotel Jugoslavija, located in Serbia's capital, has been sold for approximately €27 million to MV Investment, affiliated...

Bosnia and Herzegovina Kickstarts EU Membership Talks

Bosnia and Herzegovina has initiated accession negotiations with the European Union, a development hailed as a pivotal advancement for...

Today the European Commission is proposing to create a Digital Green Certificate to facilitate safe free movement inside the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Digital Green Certificate will be a proof that a person has been vaccinated against COVID-19, received a negative test result or recovered from COVID-19. It will be available, free of charge, in digital or paper format. It will include a QR code to ensure 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 of certificates. Member States remain responsible to decide which public health restrictions can be waived for travellers but will have to apply such waivers in the same way to travellers holding a Digital Green Certificate.

Vice-President for Values and Transparency, Věra Jourová said: “The Digital Green Certificate offers an EU-wide solution to ensure that EU citizens benefit from a harmonised digital tool to support free movement in the EU. This is a good message in support of recovery. Our key objectives are to offer an easy to use, non-discriminatory and secure tool that fully respects data protection. And we continue working towards international convergence with other partners.”

Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, said: “With the Digital Green Certificate, we are taking a European approach to ensure EU citizens and their family members can travel safely and with minimum restrictions this summer. The Digital Green Certificate will not be a pre-condition to free movement and it will not discriminate in any way. A common EU-approach will not only help us to gradually restore free movement within the EU and avoid fragmentation. It is also a chance to influence global standards and lead by example based on our European values like data protection.”

The Digital Green Certificate will be valid in all EU Member States and open for Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway as well as Switzerland. The Digital Green Certificate should be issued to EU citizens and their family members, regardless of their nationality. It should also be issued to non-EU nationals who reside in the EU and to visitors who have the right to travel to other Member States.

The Digital Green Certificate system is a temporary measure. It will be suspended once the World Health Organization (WHO) declares the end of the COVID-19 international health emergency.

However, such an announcement to implement digital green certificates has caused polemics between several countries, including Serbia.

Serbia has raised its concerns due to the potential possibility that the certificate would only include vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency, which does not cover the Russian Sputnik V vaccine or any other vaccine from Chinese manufacturers that have been used mainly in the country.

Related Articles

Bosnia and Herzegovina Kickstarts EU Membership Talks

Bosnia and Herzegovina has initiated accession negotiations with the European Union, a development hailed as a pivotal advancement for the Balkan country. This move,...

Slovenia Tops Investment Attractiveness in the Balkans

In the latest report from the Milken Institute, Slovenia has been identified as the leading investment destination in the Adriatic region, outpacing Montenegro, North...

New ENEF II Fund to Propel Growth in Western Balkans

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has announced the introduction of the Enterprise Expansion Fund II (ENEF II), aimed at fostering the...

European Parliament Passes Groundbreaking AI Law

The European Parliament has adopted the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act, aiming to safeguard fundamental rights, democracy, the rule of law, and ecological sustainability in...

Mariya Gabriel Endorses Horizon Europe’s Widening Measures to Bridge Research Gap Ahead of Bulgarian Premiership

Mariya Gabriel, set to ascend to Bulgaria's prime ministerial role in March, champions Horizon Europe's Widening measures as a key strategy to address Europe's...

European Parliament Members Endorse Western Balkan Reform and Growth Instrument

Members of the European Parliament's committees on foreign affairs and budget have officially adopted a stance on the Western Balkan Reform and Growth Instrument,...

EU Inaugurates Central Office for Artificial Intelligence

The European Union has taken a significant step forward in the realm of artificial intelligence by inaugurating its Artificial Intelligence Office. This central body...

European Banking Titans Surpass €100 Billion Profit Milestone Amid Rising Interest Rates

For the first time in history, Europe's banking behemoths have collectively breached the €100 billion profit ceiling, fueled by a significant uptick in interest...