The European Union (EU) has launched a digital COVID Certificate, which allows people to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination, a recent negative test result, or past COVID-19 infection.
The certificate will be available in a national language and English said the EU.
The certificate consists of a QR code displayed on a device (like a smartphone or a tablet) or printed, and a digital signature, verified via EU Gateway.
The certificate is issued for free by their national authorities and recognised by all EU 27 member states as well as Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.
The EU said if a country is not ready to issue certificates on 1 July, there is a phasing-in period of six weeks, when other formats can still be used and should be accepted in other EU countries as well.
How will the EU digital COVID certificate make travelling within the EU easier?
The certificate will make it easier for you to travel safely through the EU by showing that you have been vaccinated, had a negative test result or recovered from COVID-19.
The EU digital COVID certificate will have a speedy verification process and will help preventing the use of fake certificates across the EU.
The certificate alone is not a travel document. It won’t be enough to travel, you will still need your passport or another form of identification.
You also don’t need to have the certificate to travel but having it should make travelling easier. If you hold a EU digital COVID certificate you should in principle be exempted from testing or quarantine.
Holders of a valid EU digital COVID certificate should in principle not be subject to testing or quarantine when travelling within the EU.
EU countries have to accept vaccination certificates only for vaccines which received EU marketing authorisation. Countries may decide to extend this also to EU travellers that received another vaccine.
Infographic – EU digital COVID certificate
