European Commission (EC) spokesperson said that the unified system of digital COVID certificates officially entered into force in all European Union countries on Thursday.
In a press briefing, Christian Wigand noted that the proposed by the European Commission in March the EU digital COVID certificate is now a reality throughout the EU.
According to the European Commission, twenty-six out of twenty-seven EU member states have fully implemented the system. Only Ireland cannot not issue the certificates at the moment because of a recent cyberattack.
In addition to the EU countries, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein have joined digital COVID-19 regulation.
More than 200 million certificates have been generated so far. The certificate is issued both in paper and electronic form and has a QR code, so it can be used with a mobile phone, the EC pointed out.
The certificate is made to facilitate travel within the European Union, simplifying travel requirements for its holders. In particular, the EU agreed that the citizens who were vaccinated or recovered from the coronavirus should not be tested or quarantined while traveling throughout member states.
“With this everyone in Europe should be able to travel safely and freely this summer,” the spokesperson added.
Digital certificates serve as proof that a person has been vaccinated against COVID-19, recovered from the disease, or tested negative for it. The certificates will be valid for 12 months.
