BRUSSELS – In a radio interview, foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya said Spain expects to have digital vaccine certificates ready by June at the latest.
Yesterday, foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya said in a radio interview digital vaccine certificates could be a reality in Spain by June.
“We are in Brussels with a proposal made by the Commission to the European Parliament,” she told Onda Cero radio station. She added that parliament had agreed to fast track the certificates to ease travel in Europe.
The certificate, also known as a Digital Green Certificate, would not prevent non-vaccinated people from travelling. However, those with the certificate would experience faster processing at border controls.
What are digital vaccine certificates?
On March 17th, the European Commission proposed the certificate. It will prove a person is either vaccinated against COVID-19, received a negative test result, or recovered from COVID-19.
Taking the form of a Digital Green Certificate, it will allow free movement safely within the EU. It will be free and include a QR code to ensure its security and authenticity.
The Commission will build a gateway for verification across the EU. It will also support member states in the technical side of implementing them.
Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, said: “With the Digital Green Certificate, we are taking a European approach to ensure EU citizens and their family members can travel safely and with minimum restrictions this summer. 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.”
Temporary measure
The Commission says the Digital Green Certificate system is a temporary measure. Once the World Health Organization (WHO) declares the end of the COVID-19 international health emergency, its used will be suspended.
