We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT has approved its priorities for introducing Covid-19 passports for the EU, also known as Digital Green Certificates, in time for the summer.
The idea behind the Covid passport system is to allow anyone who is fully vaccinated, or who has a negative Covid-19 test, or who has recovered from Covid-19, to travel within the EU by presenting this paper or digital certificate.
The result of the vote, cast yesterday and announced this morning, was 540 votes in favour, 119 against and 31 abstentions.
As part of the vote, the European Parliament aims as part of its priorities to scrap the name ‘Digital Green Certificates’, and instead call them the ‘EU Covid-19 certificate’.
MEPs also agreed that the system should be in place for no longer than 12 months.
MEPs also stress that, in order to avoid discrimination against those not vaccinated and for economic reasons, EU countries should “ensure universal, accessible, timely and free of charge testing”.
The next stage will involve negotiations between the European Parliament, based on these prioirities; and the European Council, or the leaders of the 27 EU member states, about how to implement the certificates.
Once officially introduced, Ireland and other EU member states will be obliged to give one of these EU Covid-19 certificates to anyone eligible for one who requests it.
Europe is proceeding fast on making free and safe travel this summer possible. The @Europarl_EN adopted its position on #DigitalGreenCertificate already 👇, now it is up to the discussion with Member States. I hope we will wrap this up quickly.
— Věra Jourová (@VeraJourova) April 29, 2021
⛱️ pic.twitter.com/P8ledmqhjw
In a plenary hearing yesterday where the issue was debated, some MEPs expressed concerns about EU countries where Covid-19 tests are “prohibitively expensive”, particularly for cross-border workers and students; that the name ‘Digital Green Certificates’ was confusing; that there wasn’t enough scientific evidence for how long immunity after contracting Covid-19 or after being fully vaccinated would last.
“Haste is not a wise counsel,” Italian MEP Piernicola Pedicini said, raising concerns about how the committee stage for the certificate legislation was skipped.
“Is the effect the same for all vaccines? How long are we protected for? We don’t know if member states are going to discriminate through access to services.”
MEPs arguing in favour of the Covid certificates said that they would allow a return to some level of normality; that the system will ensure there aren’t several different systems for travel across the EU; and that it would allow the European economy – tourism in particular – to rebound.
Bulgarian MEP Petar Vitanov said that the proposal should have been introduced last year, when there was a “patchwork” arrangement for travel across the EU.
In the result announced today, MEPs said that EU member states must accept vaccination certificates issued in other member states for persons inoculated with a vaccine authorised for use in the EU by the European Medicines Agency – currently Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Janssen.
It will be up to the EU member states to decide whether they also accept vaccination certificates issued in other member states for vaccines listed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for emergency use.
In response to the news, Fine Gael MEP Deirdre Clune said the EU Covid-19 certificates made sense.
“It would allow people with the certificate to travel freely and safely across Europe. What is vital now is that Europe works together on making sure that the Cert is developed as quickly as possible and in the most effective way.”
Sinn Féin MEP Chris MacManus said the certificates are not “a perfect solution, but edges us towards normality”.
“Let’s be very clear though. The Digital Certificate system is not a silver bullet. This is purely a system to enable a careful reopening of travel in the EU. We must continue to work together following the public health advice to keep each other safe.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Step in the right direction
Let’s see if our government can introduce this for the summer or or be bludgeoned into submission from the fear mongering NPHET.
@Alan Wright: my understanding is they will have no choice. The longest they can delay it is 6 weeks after EU signs into law, which is due beginning of June. Irish government wanted 12 weeks, to effectively block travel for the whole summer but had to compromise on 6 weeks. I’ll be sending Tony a postcard from the beach this year.
@Hugh Corcoran: hey, me too. Just booked a week away in Seville for me and the missus. Left it till Sept though, as they’ll definitely be heal dragging to implement this from our lot.
@Alan Wright: knowing them…like most things..it be a yr later
Remember when we all signed up for restrictions to protect the old and vulnerable?
What ever happened to that along the way? They’ll be vaccinated by then end of May but we’re still going to have to live with restrictions for the Summer.
It makes zero sense.
@James Quinn: just get the passport and the vaccine when its available. I’m sure the elderly have had enough of being cocooned and don’t want to hear the moaning of some journal commenter about how its unfair that they are locked down.
@Paul Cunningham: Why do I need the vaccine? 90% of deaths are over 65 with the average age of death around 82. Over 90% who have been hospitalised with Covid are obese so if u are young and healthy, the chances of death are minimal.
Why then should any young and healthy person have to take an experimental vaccine? Once the elderly and vulnerable are vaccinated, should that not be enough to open the country? Logic has gone out the window with regards to this virus.
I don’t need a ‘journal commentator’ telling me what I should and shouldn’t do! Think we have all done more than enough over the past 14 months.
@James Quinn: So don’t get the vaccine, we really don’t care. Just stay away from the rest of us, please. This planet does not belong to you.
@James Quinn: What’s experimental about them? They have gone through the same development, trials and full evaluation as any other vaccine or medicine. It just hasn’t taken as long because the usual red tape and delays have been reduced
@James Quinn: what about the people in ICU who are in their 40′s & 50′s… who spend upto 10 weeks in hospital and at least the same recovering?????? The long term affects on younger people can be devastating
@Drunk in Dublin: If you are vaccinated, why would an unvaccinated person be a treat to you? Are you not protected when vaccinated?
@Verners Tess: threat not treat. Apologies
@Verners Tess: This has been explained THOUSANDS OF TIMES. Not a threat to the vaccinated, but a threat to people who legitimately & medically can’t get vaccinated. And also a threat to the vaccinated in that the virus would have a host to mutate into new variant that the vaccine may not be effective against
@Steve: Ok, but how come that logic does not apply to other vaccines?
@Verners Tess: It does apply to other vaccines of course, it’s how polio has been (mostly) eradicated.
@Steve: What’s experimental about it? The fact that its in trial phase til 2023 might have something to do with that. Animal testing was bypassed. The short and long term effects are not known.
I will gladly hold off for a while and see what if any effects it has on people who take it. I’d say I won’t be the only one doing this.
@Drunk in Dublin: Stay off the drink ted!
@Steve: Well according to Prof.Luke O’Neill on Virgin Media News it could take 2 -3 years for side effects to be known.
A good step in the right direction. Especially in relation to the people who choose not to receive the vaccine.
@Stephen Deegan: The EU made sure in the legislation that governments implement free COVID testing, which is just as good as a vaccine as far as this passport is concerned. Which doesn’t discriminate against people who choose not to or cannot take the vaccine. Which is great.
Makes sense
@Hugh Morris: does this mean that eu discriminates against Astra vaccinated on the basis that those people who had no choice of vaccine have to wait up to 12 weeks for booster compared to 4 weeks for Pfizer of just one dose of j&j?
@Michael Garvey: it might be the case whereby you can go if you have atleast one vaccine.
They let people travel with the passport if they have recovered from covid, and now they’re offering to give people one jab of a vaccine due to some people having a certain immunity after previous catching covid.
@Hugh Morris: it only makes sense if the host country has implemented the same conditions for hospitality workers and retail workers etc. Sending someone with a negative test into a potentially infectious environment doesn’t make much sense.
85k waiting on an Irish passport mmmm
@John Leonard: They can process up to 120,000 a week once fully operational, I wouldn’t worry if you are waiting on one.
Step in the right direction and I’m glad it’s only planned for 12 months, has an end sight. It annoys me the way people talk about some measures like they will be permanent, even when the pandemic ends. We are at the point of this pandemic where there is a vaccine, but not enough people had it, therefore vaccine passports are needed. But in 12 months time, I don’t see why they should be.
We need to get moving again and tourism/travel jobs are at risk in Ireland and across the bloc, so in order to do this the right way, vaccine passports are needed.
@Darren Anthony Corr: I won’t be surprised if in 12 months time it’s extended for another 12 months and so on…
@Darren Anthony Corr: Now that this is in, it is never going away.
“anyone who is fully vaccinated, or who has a negative Covid-19 test, or who has recovered from Covid-19, to travel within the EU by presenting this paper or digital certificate.” … “ensure universal, accessible, timely and free of charge testing”
Now we’re talking! Great news!
@Michael Legris: And we’re not talking only about expensive PCR tests, Rapid Antigen tests are part of it too! All detailed on the EU webpage.
Seems reasonable enough..
The member states hope to conclude the discussions by 2023 and member states will have it fully implemented by 2025 at a cost of five billion euros ……..
If I am tested to see if I’ve ever had covid, can they tell approximately when I had it?
@Peter: No.
Prepare for delay after delay for the Irish to issue them, travel will be curtailed by hook or by crook
@Michael Byrne: unless there’s a way for Denis O’Brien to make some cash
At least the testing will be free which would have stopped many people from accessing it as an added bill to their holiday.
Excellent news – vaccinated, had covid or tested. Makes complete sense.
A totalitarian wet dream..
No doubt our government will do something completely different to the rest of the EU.
Well this is good news….does this mean that we will not be forced to pay 120 for a PCR test in order to travel I wonder….
Any idea of EU citizens living and vaccinated aboard can apply for these. (Irish vaccinated in UK)
I wonder how much they will charge us for this green passport and how long one will be waiting to get it seems ya can’t get a passport at the moment
2 jabs and your away, the green passport can’t come soon enough for me,but Ryanair will need to restore daily services to UK that have been cancelled,but no doubt the Ryanair boss will hold out and oblige when he gets a suitable reduction in landing charges.
I’m Irish and would like to return home however I’m vacinated with Chinese sinovac only one available in this country when I got it. It’s unfair if thus us nit accepted as a vacation to Eu
have your say