The European Parliament has approved the extension of the legal framework of the European digital corona certificate by 12 months. That should avoid travel restrictions if the virus were to start again. At the same time, the MEPs do ask that the certificate be abolished more quickly, if the health situation would allow it.
The corona certificate was introduced at the beginning of last summer to facilitate travel within the European Union. The certificate proves that the holder has been tested or vaccinated or has built up natural resistance to the virus after an infection.
The current framework expires on June 30. While Member States currently no longer require certificates from inbound travelers, there is awareness that the pandemic may not be over yet. What’s more, the number of infections is increasing again.
To avoid that a new run of a variant in the autumn or winter would lead to new travel restrictions within the European Union, it was decided to extend the framework by one year until the end of June 2023. The extension had already been agreed with the member states. The approval in the hemisphere was therefore a formality.
The MEPs do ask that the certificate be abolished more quickly. At their request, the Commission will evaluate the impact of the certificate on freedom of movement and fundamental rights by the end of the year. The Commission could then already propose to abolish the system if the health situation would allow it.
Also read: Will corona also ruin the summer holidays? †
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