Digital Covid Certificate In Use In Twelve EU Countries

Frigiliana council implements new communication app

Frigiliana council implements new communication app. Credit: Pixabay

THE digital Covid certificate is in use in 12 EU countries and 16 more are ready to introduce it soon.

According to the European Parliament the certificates must be available to travellers by July 1. As it stands, 12 countries, including Spain, are running ahead of schedule.

The certificate was approved by the European Commission in May to regulate Covid-19 entry requirement across the EU.

The free mobile app that supplies on-demand digital proof of a person’s vaccination against the coronavirus, a recent negative test result or proof that they had the virus and recovered with antibodies.

Along with personal details the app includes a one-off QR code. Or if preferred, travellers can request a paper document with the same information.

The 12 EU nations already using the digital certificate include:

  • Austria
  • Bulgaria
  • Croatia
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Poland
  • Spain

The app is ready to launch in:

  • Belgium
  • Cyprus
  • France
  • Iceland
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Liechtenstein
  • Luxembourg
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland

Finland, Hungary and Malta are still in the testing phase.

It comes into force on July 1, for an initial 12 months and certifies the EU citizen’s Covid status, whether they are vaccinated or not, how they have tested, or if they have immunity from a previous infection. The certificate will exempt EU citizens from stricter Covid restrictions when travelling between member states.

Millions have already reportedly signed up to have the certification since it was first announced on June 1.

The European Commission said it is committed to a resumption of international travel within the EU from July 1.

The Commission also developed reference software and apps for the issuance, storage and verification of certificates, to facilitate the roll-out at national level; these are published on GitHub and used by 12 Member States.


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Deirdre Tynan

Deirdre Tynan is an award-winning journalist who enjoys bringing the best in news reporting to Spain’s largest English-language newspaper, Euro Weekly News. She has previously worked at The Mirror, Ireland on Sunday and for news agencies, media outlets and international organisations in America, Europe and Asia. A huge fan of British politics and newspapers, Deirdre is equally fascinated by the political scene in Madrid and Sevilla. She moved to Spain in 2018 and is based in Jaen.

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