Virginia Messina, Senior Vice President of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) said: “WTTC welcomes the agreement reached on the EU Digital COVID Certificate, which has now been given the green light by all member states.
- This new certificate could be the key that opens the door and unlocks international travel.
- The EU Digital COVID certificate could save thousands of businesses and millions of jobs across Europe and beyond.
- The COVID certificate will identify vaccinated travelers in all 27 member states.
“It will see all 27 member states welcoming vaccinated travelers and those with proof of a negative test or a positive antibody test in time for the peak summer season, which will provide a massive and much-needed boost to economies. We call on all Member States to have the certificate up and running by July 1 with no extra restrictions.
“The European Commission must be applauded for its incredible efforts in launching this major initiative, which could be the driving force behind the resurrection of Travel & Tourism.
“For more than a year, the Travel & Tourism sector has suffered like never before, with 62 million people around the world losing their jobs. But this initiative will aid the restoration of safe international travel.”
The EU Digital COVID Certificate, also known as the Digital Green Certificate, will be available free of charge in digital or paper format. It will include a QR code to ensure security and authenticity of the certificate. The EU Commission will build a gateway to ensure all certificates can be verified across the EU and will support member states in the technical implementation of certificates.
