The Commission stressed the certificate should be a temporary measure and would be suspended once the World Health Organization (WHO) declares the end of the covid-19 international health emergency Shutterstock

The Commission stressed the certificate should be a temporary measure and would be suspended once the World Health Organization (WHO) declares the end of the covid-19 international health emergency Shutterstock

The “Digital Green Certificate”, as it calls the platform, would be offered free of charge, in digital or paper format, and would include certificates for vaccines, tests and people who have recovered from covid-19. Both digital and paper versions would be available in English and the member state’s language, and carry a QR code and a digital signature.

The proposal aims to ease travel in the EU by streamlining the health documents required. Thus far there has been no standardisation, resulting in restrictions on free movement as well as a surge in fraudulent or forged documents.

Under the project, the Commission would establish a “gateway” to ensure all certificates can be verified across the EU and support member states in the technical implementation of certificates.

The Commission said in a statement: “No personal data of the certificate holders passes through the gateway, or is retained by the verifying Member State.”

“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 Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, added.

If a member state continues to require holders of a Digital Green Certificate to quarantine or test, it must notify the Commission and all other Member States and explain the reasons for such measures.

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

The Commission stressed the certificate should be a temporary measure and would be suspended once the World Health Organization (WHO) declares the end of the covid-19 international health emergency.