Brussels, April 29, (dpa/GNA) – The European Parliament wants the so-called “digital green certificates” planned for the continent’s peak travel season to free EU citizens from additional obligations to quarantine, to self-isolate or take tests for trips within the bloc.
The EU legislature agreed on Thursday its negotiating position with the EU states and the European Commission, which is currently preparing the documents to be rolled out in the next few months.
The certificates – to be available in paper form or digitally – should show whether a person has been vaccinated against Covid-19, has a recent negative test result or has recovered from an infection.
But EU lawmakers want it to guarantee more perks than what the EU executive branch and some member states envisage.
In addition, EU countries should “ensure universal, accessible, timely and free-of-charge testing,” so that those who aren’t vaccinated or can’t afford tests can also move freely, a majority of the EU legislature declared, according to a press release.
In some member states, these can cost more than 100 euros (121 dollars).
Whether parliament will get its way is uncertain. “Ideas such as waiving quarantine measures in the case of a negative Covid test do not reflect the severity of the of the situation and hinder the fight against the epidemic,” an EU member state diplomat told dpa.
“There can only be an agreement if the parliament budges on this,” the source added.
In a debate on Wednesday, European Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said that the decision to grant free testing rests with the member states.
GNA